Motivated by Christ's Coming
1 Thessalonians
If you have studied Scripture long enough, you may notice how important themes appear throughout certain books or portions of the Bible. We can miss these themes when we study one passage, chapter, or verse to the exclusion of its larger context. While doing deep dives of a single passage is helpful, it does not entirely fulfill our obligation as God's people to meditate on his Word. Sometimes, we need to zoom out our microscope so we can see the big picture - the truths, ideas, and themes that he repeats for our benefit.
Theologians often call this kind of study "biblical theology." It's a form of Bible study that identifies patterns and themes in certain books, authors, or genres of Scripture. In this branch of theology, we can ask questions like, "How does Jesus reference the OT in the Gospels?" and "What does the author Luke teach about the Holy Spirit?" Rather than taking a comprehensive look at Scripture to study one topic, we take a more specific and exclusive approach to our study.
This is what I hope to accomplish in our study of 1 Thessalonians. Paul was a deep thinker and an exceptional theologian. As an apostle who received direct revelation from Christ, he had the authority and credibility to instruct the churches he planted in the truths of the gospel, the work of Christ, and Christian living. His letters reflect his ability to engage believers in profound and practical theological truth.
In 1 Thessalonians, we get a deeply personal look at Paul's relationship with the church of Thessalonica. He treasured these believers because they embraced the gospel to such a degree that everyone in their surrounding community heard the good news of Christ's death and resurrection. They patterned their lives after the examples of Paul and his missionary team, Timothy and Silas. Their obedience and devotion to God were evident in their lives and the ministry of the church. Paul cared for this church because the believers were serious disciples.
In this letter, Paul shares his heart for the people in the church. He had a deep care and concern for their spiritual well-being. He wanted them to know how much he appreciated their willing acceptance of biblical truth and how that showed in their gospel witness. He reminded them of the great pains he took to bring that message to them, even in persecution. He emphasized how much he longed to see them and that were it not for certain obstacles, he would gladly visit them again.
Though Paul could not see these believers in person, he mentions an individual that they can be confident they will see soon - Jesus Christ. Throughout the letter, Paul refers to the return of Christ. He uses this future event to teach believers that his coming should motivate us to live holy lives. Though it is a future event that few of us, maybe none of us, will see, it should still inform how we walk daily.
This is Paul's concern, that the return of Christ would encourage us to live and think differently. If you planned to have guests over your home, that would change how you spent your day. You would buy the food you need, clean the house, prepare the table, and plan for games or activities to do. Just like a house guest affects our daily routine, so the coming of our Savior should affect how we live.
The return of Christ should motivate us for holy living.
First Thessalonians contains six passages that refer to this event (1:9-10; 2:19-20; 3:11-13; 4:13-18; 5:1-11, 23-24). We will not examine all of these passages in depth. Instead, we will focus on how these passages inform us how to live as Christians. That means we will not study the key events of Christ's return or how Paul's teaching connects to other NT passages. This will keep our study focused on how the knowledge of Christ's return impacts our daily walk as we wait for him.
Christ's Return Distinguishes Our Faith
When we consider this important event that the NT describes, we see something immediately noticeable: no other faith has this expectation. Buddhists do not wait for Buddha, Muslims do not wait for Muhammad, and Hindus do not wait for Vishnu or any of their many gods to come to earth. Many Christian denominations and cults claim to wait for Jesus to return (even Muslims), but not according to Scripture. Bible Christianity is the only major world religion that awaits the second coming of its founder and Lord.
For the Thessalonians, Christ's return served as a special remember that they believed differently than their community. Thessalonica was a major metropolitan center. As such, its citizens worshipped a variety of gods from Egypt, Greece, and Rome. The Gentiles of this church converted out of these pagan religions that worshipped idols so they could serve "the living and true God." Contrary to the idols of their former lives, these believers now understood that the God of Scripture is alive and he deserves exclusive worship.
They also understood that God has revealed himself in Jesus Christ. As part of their new faith, the believers embraced a new hope, that Jesus would return one day. Paul and his missionary team taught this doctrine to the church. This was not a side issue for them, but a foundational truth for new believers. It was the fruit of their consistent, biblical teaching. Believers should wait with expectation for Jesus to come back from heaven.
The church has waited 2,000 years for Jesus' return. How can we know for sure that he will? Will believers endure more suffering and persecution in the meantime? These were the kinds of questions the Thessalonians asked Paul. He instilled confidence by reminding them that we know Jesus will return because he rose from the dead. Hundreds of people saw him alive after his death and the biblical writers recorded his resurrection. Since he is alive, we can trust his promise that he will return.
Until he does, Christians may endure suffering in this life. The believers of this church endured profound persecution for their faith. But like them, we can take courage that we will never experience the outpouring of God's judgment that this world will endure in the tribulation period. Christ will deliver us from that in the rapture because his people are not under God's wrath. Judgment is coming on this corrupt, sinful world that has rejected God. But all those who trust in the Savior have already been delivered. It's our faith in his return that makes us different from this world and able to endure its persecution.
Christ's Return Generates Joy in Discipleship
Paul spent a brief time with the Thessalonians in person. Some scholars say his timeframe in the city was anywhere between three weeks to several months. In that short time, he grew to love them because they put their faith into action, especially in their witness. At the end of chapter 2, Paul laments how he could not be with these believers in person again. He writes how desperately he tried to visit them, but Satan hindered him (2:18). We don't know how Satan did this, or what obstacles he used, but we know it was apparent to Paul that Satan did not want this visit to happen.
His questions to these believers at the end of the chapter reveal what a deep affection he had for them (2:19). He asks them rhetorically if they could identify his hope, joy, and crown of rejoicing. As he says in verse 20, these believers were his glory and joy. He saw their spiritual growth and devotion to Christ as a chief goal of his ministry to them. He felt great satisfaction and fulfillment by serving and teaching them.
His greatest joy was knowing that his ministry would better prepare them to stand in the presence of Christ. This momentous occasion was not just another event on the calendar to look forward to. It was the culmination of a long, difficult, but ultimately satisfying process of investing in the lives of people. He was very happy thinking about how his influence on their lives would allow them to stand complete before Christ one day.
Think of the difference between a child who looks forward to getting ice cream with his dad and a young man who looks forward to his wedding day. The child is excited for a special, one-time treat with his parent. But his joy could not compare to the young man getting married. That man found the woman he wants to spend his life with, he has grown to know her and love her, he bought a ring to signify his love, and he has prepared for months to make this special day happen.
Paul experienced that kind of joy in his heart as he considered his ministry to the Thessalonians. Serving God by serving others brings much more joy and satisfaction than living for ourselves ever could. The return of our Savior motivates us to spiritually invest in people, and we benefit by experiencing the joy that comes from service.
Christ's Return Inspires Our Prayers for Each Other
Paul mentions several times in this letter how he prayed for these believers. On two occasions, in chapters 3 and 5, he makes specific requests about their spiritual growth. He views their sanctification in light of the return of Christ and how these Christians will one day stand before him for their works to be judged. He is not concerned for their eternal state; that has already been settled since they have believed on Christ for salvation. Rather, he is concerned for the quality of their eternal existence. Will they see Christ and have their works examined with great disappointment or with great peace?
Notice in 1 Thessalonians 3:11 that he begins his prayer on a practical note. He asks God to guide his travels so that he may see this church again. He asks in the following verse that they would abound in their love for each other and for all people (3:12). That degree of love is vital for the Christian life because it guards us against selfish, indulgent behaviors. If we truly love others as God loves us, then we will avoid sins that corrupt our affections and taint our motives. This love keeps our walk pure before the Lord.
This is Paul's chief concern for the Thessalonians. He prays for their love to abound because at the end of their lives they will stand in the Lord's presence. As the one who taught them the ways and works of Jesus, he felt responsible for their spiritual well-being, even after death. He wanted to present them before their Savior as blameless disciples, as saints who walked in holiness (3:13). But he prayed for them in this way because he knew only God could prepare them so thoroughly for his Son's return.
We see a similar prayer recorded in chapter 5. At the end of the letter, Paul writes down a final request. He asks the God of peace to sanctify these believers completely, even their whole spirit, soul, and body (5:23). This is Paul's way of asking the Lord to do a thorough work of setting these Christian apart for a life of holiness and blamelessness. He prayed for them that not one fault could be found with their thinking and behavior. Paul asked for this not only here on earth, but also in eternity when Christ comes and these believers stand before their Savior and Lord.
If these sound like very audacious prayers, it's because they are. Many of us have probably considered what kind of impact we have on other believers. Few of us have probably considered how our influence has prepared others for the bema seat when Jesus rewards his saints. It sounds like a daunting, impossible task. But Paul did not rest these prayers on himself. In both of these passages, he recognizes it is God "himself" who keeps us blameless and sanctifies us for his purposes. He acknowledges that God is faithful to call us and complete the purpose of his calling (5:24).
Just as you should not hesitate to invest in other believers, do not hesitate to pray this way for each other. Instead, consider your influence in the church. Teens, how do you influence other teens? Adults, how do you influence other adults? How do you influence children and young people? Seniors, how do you influence younger couples? As you think through these relationships, consider how the Lord may want you to pray for them. Use Paul as a pattern. Our Savior is coming back soon. May that inspire us to pray that those we influence may be complete in Christ by living holy and blameless lives.
Christ's Return Comforts Us in Grief and Sobers Us in Waiting
The last two passages we will look at really comprise one whole treatise on Christ's return. Paul goes into detail about the events surrounding his return because the Thessalonians were concerned. Facing persecution, many of their comrades in the faith had died and they thought these believers would miss the coming of the Lord. Paul had taught them that Christians can expect Jesus to return to earth. But many of the Thessalonians assumed if some believers had already died, then they would not benefit from the Lord's coming.
Paul corrects their fears and erroneous thinking by giving the details about how his coming will happen. We will not examine these events in detail, but we can examine how Paul uses this teaching to inform us how we should live. We know Jesus is coming back, though we do not know when that will happen. We do have enough details to know how Christ will come and how he will bring his people, both dead and living, to be with him forever. How then should we live in light of his return?
First, we must not be fearful or despondent when fellow believers die. This is how the Thessalonians responded to the deaths of their brothers and sisters. Paul comforts them by letting them know that Jesus' return will ensure that both the dead and the living will be with him (4:13-18). The dead will rise first and the living will follow (4:16-17). The Lord himself will come from heaven and meet all of his earthly saints in their resurrected, glorified bodies. From that moment on, we will always be with him in eternal bliss.
When we experience the passing of a loved one, it is a time to grieve. There's no reason to hold back feelings of sadness. But there is also no reason to grieve without hope. We do have hope that the Lord will raise our saved loved ones out of their graves. Their death is not homegoing where their soul goes to God. But one day, their bodies will reunite with their souls and dwell eternally with the Savior. This is why our grief at funerals for Christian loved ones is not hopeless or despairing. We can grieve knowing we will see our friend or family member again in the presence of the Lord.
Second, we must not allow the Lord's delay in his coming to cause us to slack. In chapter 5, Paul uses the contrast of light and darkness to remind us that we have been given light on the Lord's return (5:4-5). Our lives should reflect a carefulness and readiness for that day. Those in darkness are asleep and drunk, reminding us of their ignorance or unwillingness to acknowledge the Lord's coming (5:6-7). These images also underscore the debauched behaviors of unbelievers. They don't believe a day of reckoning is coming, and their lives make that evident.
That attitude and lifestyle should not be evident in believers. Rather, they must be prepared by living soberly. They must put on the breastplate of faith and love, and the helmet of salvation (5:8). The idea is that Christians should be consistent in their dependence on God and acts of love. All the while, they must remember the great deliverance Christ has given them and the change of lifestyle that should inspire. As before, Paul says this teaching should comfort us. But it also serves as a tool to build us up, to motivate us to serve the Lord and prepare for his return (5:11).
In examining these various passages, I hope you see the thematic thread of the Lord's return in 1 Thessalonians. Paul did this purposely to teach these saints that this future event should influence how we live today. It's an event that makes our faith unique; we await our living Savior. It's an event that changes how we see our influence on people and the expectation of joy we can have in serving others.
It's an event that influences our prayers for each other, especially as we ask the Lord to preserve his people in holiness so they are completely sanctified and kept from sin. It's an event that comforts our grieving hearts when we lose loved ones in the Lord, for we know they will be resurrected to meet their Lord again. Finally, it's an event that should cause us to think and live soberly so that our lives reflect our faith in Christ's coming.
While this world waits for the weekend, the next holiday, the next vacation, or the next iPhone to come out, let's be a people who wait for our Savior. Let's anticipate his coming, pray for one another, and serve one another with his coming in our hearts. He will return, there's no doubt about that. May he find each of us waiting for him and living for him.
