1 Thessalonians 1

Shawn Bumpers / General

1 Thessalonians / Faith; Hope; Election; Gospel; Testimony; Witness of the Spirit; Repentance / 1 Thessalonians 1:1–10

 

Introduction

The epistle we are about to begin studying is one of the earliest which Paul wrote.

It is Paul’s second epistle, with  Galatians  being his first and was probably written in  50 AD , about 20 years after Jesus’ ministry.

It was written by Paul in Corinth.

In the book of  Acts , Luke tells us about the events that led to Paul writing this letter.

There is one and a half years separating the epistle to the Galatians and this epistle, 1 Thessalonians.

In Acts 16, Paul began what we know as his  second missionary journey .

At that time Paul had been away from the 4 churches he had planted during his first missionary journey for 14 months.

Paul and Barnabas had divided over John Mark at this time and Paul was traveling with Silas and a young  Timothy  from Lystra joined them.

2 years earlier, Paul had preached the gospel in Lystra and met Timothy, whose mother was  Jewish  and father  Greek .

It was through the ministry of his mother and grandmother that Timothy had received the Gospel.

2 Timothy 1:5 NKJV
when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also.

There were other young men whom Paul had encountered that Paul began to disciple and those were  Titus  and  Gaius .

You kids here today … don’t think you are too young to minister.

1 Timothy 4:12 NKJV
Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

•  Be an example in word: Be careful what you say and how you say it.

• Be an example in conduct: Live out what you believe.

• Be an example in love: In Matthew 5, Jesus taught us to love God, and love our neighbors … even to love our enemies.

• Be an example in spirit: Being filled with the Spirit gives us the ability to live out our faith.

• Be an example in faith: Be prayerful, joyful, and thankful to God for all things … “This is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 NKJV

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

• Be an example in purity: Keep your thoughts pure.

Paul’s other companion at this time was  Silas .

Silas was a Jewish man who was also a Roman citizen and whose main language was Greek, having grown up outside of Israel.

Luke  would also join up with Paul during this second journey.

Looking even further back in history, in the year 44 BC,  Julius Caesar  was assassinated by Brutus and Cassius.

But Philippi backed Octavius and Mark Anthony and Cassius and Brutus were defeated.

Just after this, Claudius took on Agrippina as his wife, and gave her the title us Augusta.

Agrippina convinced Claudius to adopt  Nero , making Nero first in line for the throne.

Jewish angst and push back against Rome was growing.

Acts 17 takes up in the year 51 AD.

Having left Philippi, Paul went south to Thessalonica, the capital city of northern Greece.

As was Paul’s custom, he first went in to the synagog and reasoned with them for 3 weeks time.

Acts 17:3 NKJV
explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ.”

Now, while Paul ministered in the synagog for 3 weeks, he was in Thessalonica for about 5 months ministering to the Gentiles before the city was stirred up against him.

It would seem from this letter that while there, Paul spoke against the Emperor, who lived in depravity.

The Roman Emperors who followed  Tiberius  were some of the most depraved men to ever live.

And while Paul referred to a  man of lawlessness  to come, he probably pointed to the current man of lawlessness who was on the throne in  Rome .

The Jews who rejected the Gospel caused an uprising against Paul and Silas.

Why this violent uprising caused by the birth of the church?

Thessalonica was a “free city,” meaning  there was a “Rome Free” local government.

Acts 17:6 NKJV
But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some brethren to the rulers of the city, crying out, “These who have turned the world upside down have come here too.

Perhaps most surprising is the new church’s reaction to this.

It is likely that prior to the city-wide outrage, the synagog had issued lashes against Paul … 39 lashes as was allowable by law in the synagog.

Paul had told them they would be persecuted and suffer for the LORD.

And their reaction was glee.

The Thessalonian Christians would soon be social outcasts in their own city.

But the fruit was good in Thessalonica.

The church grew in the grace of God and 2 young men were brought to Christ, Aristarchus and Secundus.

These two would be faithful  workers  and  church planters .

Paul was hurried out of Thessalonica after 5 months there.

He then crossed a mountain pass (which couldn’t be passed in the winter) and entered the city of Berea.

One of the converts in Berea was a young Jew named  Sopater , probably around the age of 25.

Added to  Titus ,  Timothy , and  Gaius  were  Aristarchus ,  Secundus , and  Sopater  … 6 men who Paul would take under his wing to train up.

Paul went on to Athens and left Berea one month later.

Then Paul headed to Corinth.

While Paul was in Corinth, Timothy and Silas arrived with a large gift from the church in Philippi.

They also brought with them a report from the church in Thessalonica.

1 Thessalonians was written from Corinth probably in  November of 51AD .

V1-5

My Pastor used to say, “If you ever find the perfect church, don’t go there. If you do, it won’t be perfect anymore.”

Because churches are made up of people who are  saved by God’s grace , no church is perfect.

On 3 separate occasions in this letter, Paul gave thanks for this church and the way it responded to his ministry.

Paul opened this letter in the standard way, introducing himself and who was with him.

Timothy we recognize … Silvanus is Silas’s Latin name as a Roman citizen.

And notice also that Paul omitted his title of ” Apostle ,” which he was sure to include in most of his letters … except for Philippians and Philemon.

This indicates for us just how accepting of his message the Thessalonian church had been.

The word “church” in Verse 1 is ekklesia, which means, ” A called out people .”

John 17:16 NKJV

They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.

And in verse 4 here, Paul speaks of the Thessalonians Christians as having been chosen by God.

First, let’s recognize that salvation begins with God.

2 Thessalonians 2:13 NKJV
But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth,

John 15:16 NKJV
You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.

Ephesians 1:4 NKJV
just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,

Next, salvation involves God’s love.

In Verse 4 of our chapter, Paul calls the Thessalonian Christians “beloved.”

It is God’s love that made our salvation possible.

John 3:16 NKJV

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Romans 5:8 NKJV
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Salvation involves faith.

Ephesians 2:8 NKJV

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,

The Gospel was brought to Thessalonica and preached, as Paul says in Verse 5, “in power.”

Romans 10:17 NKJV
So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

1 Thessalonians 2:13 NKJV
For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.

Salvation involves the Trinity.

While the doctrine of the Trinity is not introduced in this letter, we find the doctrine here in this epistle.

Because the Bible teaches it, Christians believe in one God expressed in 3 persons:  God the Father ,  God the Son , and  God the Holy Spirit .

All three persons of the Holy Trinity are involved in salvation.

And, finally, Salvation changes the life.

Paul knew that the Thessalonians were elected of God.

James 2:18 NKJV

But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

Faith ,  hope , and  love  are 3 chief virtues of the Christian life … the 3 great evidences of salvation.

If the Thessalonians had continued to worship their idols while yet professing faith in the Living God, it would have demonstrated otherwise.

The author of Hebrews wrote the same thing to Hebrew believers who wished to continue in the sacrificial system while believing in Christ.

Reminding them that the sacrificial system was an imperfect shadow of the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ, He said to them:

Hebrews 10:4 NKJV
For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.

Hebrews 10:9–10 NKJV
then He said, “Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God.” He takes away the first that He may establish the second. By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Hebrews 10:14 NKJV
For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.

A return to the sacrificial system by born again Christians would be  idolatry  … just as if the Thessalonian born again Christians were to continue worshipping pagan idols.

The person who claims to be a born again Christian yet whose life shows no change is fooling himself.

But the chief evidences that Paul presents here in Thessalonians are things that are not man-made … or self manifested.

• The first evidence of salvation that we see is the decision for Christ, which cannot happen apart from God, for God is the giver of  Faith .

•  Love  is also an evidence of Salvation.

•  Hope  is not hoping Jesus will keep His promise to return, but waiting on Jesus to return according to His promise.

So, we have evidences of salvation that can only come from God … Faith, love, and hope.

A church that would be exemplary, like the Thessalonian church must be made up of born again people, saved by the grace of God.

V6-7

Paul speaks of the Thessalonian believers moving from hearing the word to putting what they learn into practice, becoming an example to believers everywhere.

When  hearers  become ” doers ,” it’s a wonderful thing.

Having believed, these new Christians  followed Paul , associated themselves with a  local fellowship , and  became examples  to all around them.

The model church hears the word, obeys the word, endures affliction and operates in the joy of the Holy Spirit as an example to other believers and fellowships.

V8

Now think about this … these Thessalonians had been saved just a few months … Paul wrote this letter to them 6 months after he left Thessalonica.

The Thessalonian church was born in affliction and was maturing through persecution.

Instead, they witnessed by their walk – verse 7 said they became examples to believers all over … even today, their walk witnesses to us.

The verb “sounded out” is in the sense of trumpeting.

Jesus pointed out that hypocrites  trumpeted for themselves , broadcasting their own good deeds so they can accumulate the attention of others.

But the Thessalonians trumpeted for  Christ  … they were sounding forth the good news of salvation.

It is the responsibility and the privilege of each local church to share the message of the Gospel with the lost world.

The church can do that by  supporting missions , having programs and  outreaches , faithfully teaching the  Word of God  in services.

But the individual Christian has the responsibility of  being vocal  about salvation as well.

Church services and outreaches help, but it’s  personal contact  that brings a greater harvest.

The ideal church of today, like the Thessalonian church of yesterday, faithfully teaches the  Word of God , and it’s members  evangelize .

V9-10

Like I said earlier, the second coming of Christ is a theme running through this epistle.

In fact, each chapter of this letter connects Jesus’ return to a basic Christian truth.

Several times in this chapter Paul has brought up hope as one of the works of God in the life of the saved person.

That hope is in the  fulfillment of Jesus’ promise  to return for His own.

In 1 Thessalonians 5, Paul warns the saints to be  awake  and  alert , and not to  sleep  and be  drunken , like the people of the world.

In Romans 1:1-4, Paul says that the resurrection of Jesus made it clear that He is the Christ, and that God’s promises come true.

Paul had taught the believers of Thessalonica about the return of Christ and the time of tribulation which God has promised would come upon the world.

But Paul was careful to point out that the church will not share in that tribulation.

Paul calls Jesus, “The Deliverer” – only this time Paul speaks of Him in relation to “the wrath to come.”

The church will not go through the Tribulation.

The church in Thessalonica was expectant.

Christians are waiting for Jesus Christ, and He may return  at any time .

And while people are making millions selling books about signs, we are not waiting on signs … we are expecting our  Savior !

The model Thessalonian church was expectant … and like that church it is good for a church today to be expectant.

Expecting the soon return of the LORD is a great motivator for doing church well.

And of course you and I … we make up the church.

This means that the more you and I exhibit these spiritual characteristics, the more our church will become what God wants it to become.