1 Thessalonians Day 24

4:15-16

15: For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.

Those who have died will enter into heaven first.

16: For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.

This is a verse that supports the idea of “soul sleep” that I mentioned yesterday. I’ve heard some people explain this as referring to those who are in Christ through the Old Covenant (the people who believed in the coming Messiah, but died before He came.) I’m not as confident in my interpretation of this passage as I would like to be and hope to study more about the second coming of Christ and how that all works. What I can tell you with confidence is 1) Jesus is coming again 2) those who believe in Him will be taken up to heaven 3) those who have died before Jesus’ return will be in heaven first. This subject is on my list of things that I wish to study further, but we’ll all fully understand it when Jesus does return!

1 Thessalonians Day 17

3:11-13

11: Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you

Paul still desires to see the Thessalonians

12: and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you

We are to love one another as Christ loves the church and Paul is praying that they do.

13: so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.

We are to be holy as God is holy and that is why Paul is praying that they grow in love for one another. As we grow in love for one another, we become more like Christ.

Paul tells us to imitate him as he imitates Christ in 1 Corinthians 11:1. Paul desires for their love to grow for one another and our love should be growing for others in Christ and we should be praying for it to grow in both ourselves and in others.

1 Thessalonians Day 16

Sorry for the lack of updates the past few days! My schedule is returning to normal so updates will daily again.

3:6-7

6: But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us the good news of your faith and love and reported that you always remember us kindly and long to see us, as we long to see you –

Paul is happy to hear of their faith and that they also long to see Paul and Silas again.

7: for this reason, brothers, in all of our distress and affliction we have been comforted about you through your faith.

Have you ever noticed that hearing of other Christians’ faith during trials encourages us during our own. The family that I mentioned who had lost their daughter, have a strong faith and their witness encourages me in my own smaller trials. They have such a strong faith and even though they mourn, they know that God is good and that He has a plan for their pain.

8: For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord.

Paul and Silas are encouraged by the faith of the Thessalonians.

9 – 10: For what thanksgiving can we return to God for you, for all the joy that we feel for your sake before our God, as we pray most earnestly night and day that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith?

Paul is asking what they would like him to thank God for. Paul is praying for them daily and seeks to encourage their faith.

Just as the faith of those who are going through trials can encourage us, our faith can encourage them as well. We can also be reminded to pray for those whom we know, especially when they are facing trials.

1 Thessalonians Day 15

Sorry for the irregular updates. I should be back to normal by Tuesday of next week (hopefully sooner than that, but Tuesday for sure!)

3:4-5

4: For when we were with you, we kept telling you beforehand that we were to suffer affliction, just as it has come to pass, just as you know.

As mentioned on day 14, we are not guaranteed a life without suffering. 1 Peter mentions this a lot. I was looking up verses that I recalled and realized that many of them are found in 1 Peter. One that is not found in 1 Peter is found in Romans 5:3-5

Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

5: For this reason, when I could be it no longer, I sent to learn about your faith, for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our labor would be in vain.

Suffering is hard and can cause people to give up. In the parable of the sower, Jesus mentions how suffering causes people to let go of the Gospel (the seed sown on rocky ground – Matthew 13:20.) Paul sought to find out how the Thessalonians were handling their suffering and as mentioned earlier in this chapter, they sent Timothy.

Suffering is normal and it is something that helps us grow. It is also good to check on those who are suffering and to help encourage them. This is part of Paul’s desire in sending this letter to the Thessalonians. This is something that we can seek to do more of in our every day lives.

1 Thessalonians Day 14

Sorry for the delay! It’s gotten a little busy over here.

Chapter 2 Review!!

Paul reminds the Thessalonians that he and Silas were treated ill by the Jews in Thessalonica and also that the Gospel that they preached was for God and not for man. Paul also mentions that he and Silas were not burdens, but worked as they shared the Gospel with the Thessalonians. Paul ends the chapter with mentioning how he wishes to see those at Thessalonica.

So that is a quick summary of chapter two of Thessalonians. Since I’ve missed two days now for posting, I’ll go ahead and jump into chapter three.

3:1-3

1-2: Therefore when we could bear it no longer, we were willing to be left behind at Athens alone, and we sent Timothy, our brother and God’s coworker in the Gospel of Christ, to establish and exhort you in your faith.

Since Paul and Silas were hindered by the devil from going to Thessalonica, they sent their fellow believer, Timothy, to them to see them and send their message. Hence the reason Timothy’s name is mentioned in the introduction of the book.

3: that no one be moved by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are destined for this.

We are not guaranteed an easy life. Paul is reminding the Thessalonians of this. Just as Jesus suffered during His life, we will also suffer for our faith. But this suffering is only temporary. Jesus will return one day and we will be with Him in Heaven (either by our death or His return)! Paul seeks to encourage the Thessalonians just as we can be encouraged through reading this and how we can encourage, and be encouraged by, other believers during their afflictions. God is with us always, even when we do not see it (just as we saw in Ruth!)

1 Thessalonians Day 13

17-20

17: But since we were torn away from you, brothers, for a short time, in person not in heart, we endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire to see you face to face

Paul is telling them that although they left in body, they were still there in heart. They were thinking of the Thessalonians and praying for them (as mentioned in chapter one).

18: because we wanted to come to you –I, Paul, again and again –but satan hindered us.

The devil kept them from coming by using the Jews and others who hated Paul. Their travel was stopped and it was difficult for them to be able to see the Thessalonians again.

19: For what is our hope or joy or crown of boastin before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you?

Paul is happy to tell Jesus of the Thessalonians because God used Paul to share the Gospel with them and their faith in God has encouraged Paul and honored God.

20: For you are our glory and joy.

The Thessalonians have brought joy to Paul because of their faith.

When the people who shared the Gospel with us see how we grow and mature in the Lord, they are like proud parents seeing their children of the faith disciple and grow others in the faith and continuing the process for generations. It is amazing to see how believers that God has given you the privilege to impact grow and mature. How much more excited is God to see how His children come to know Him more?

1 Thessalonians Day 12

Sorry for missing a day!

2:14-16

14: For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. For you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews

The Thessalonians also suffered for their faith. Just because we are Christians doesn’t mean that we are guaranteed a life without struggles. Those struggles grow us and bring us closer to God. They are hard, but worth it in the end.

15: who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out, and displease God and oppose all mankind

Paul is reminding us who called for Jesus to be crucified and who despised the prophets (just read the Old Testament.)

16: by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved—so as always to fill up the measure of their sins. But the wrath has come upon them at last!

Paul wanted to share the Gospel to the Gentiles as well and the Jews. He knew that God wanted all of His people to hear His Word. If you recall, often in the Old Testament God will refer to bringing judgment upon sinners when their sin has reached a certain level. As for the last portion of this passage, it is a little confusing and there are a few different options for understanding it.

the wrath is referring to the judgment that will come upon them when they die (but Paul sought for all to be saved so I don’t think he would be excited about this)

the wrath is referring to the wrath bore by Jesus on the cross for their sins (although there is an issue regarding whether or not they were actually saved and if not, their sins couldn’t have been covered by the cross)
the destruction of the Temple in AD 70 (but this book is dated to around 52 AD so unless the dating is wrong, that isn’t possible)

So I will admit that I am unsure of exactly how to understand this particular part of the passage. I do, however, understand that the measure of their, the Jews, sin had reached a certain level and God was bringing judgment to them. What the judgment is, I do not know.

We can learn from these passages that we will face trials, even as Christians. If we look around us, we can definitely see that as true. Fortunately our eternity is secure and all our struggles on earth will feel like the blink of an eye when we enter into the presence of our holy God! We can also be reminded that the wicked people will face judgment. We should seek to share the Gospel, but those who do not believe will face judgment when their measure is up. Ultimately that will be hell, and I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy. Hell is where people are eternally separated from the love of God and instead feel the full wrath of God against the sin of man for all eternity. The joys of heaven are balanced out by the realization of what comes to those who do not repent and believe. Praise God for His goodness and ask that He will save more and use us in our imperfectness to do so!

1 Thessalonians Day 11

2:11-13

11-12: For you know how, like a father with his children, we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.

Fathers discipline and encourage. They are an example to us and help us along the way. God is also said to be our father. He is our heavenly Father. When we become believers, we are adopted into the family of God and are His children! God calls us to Himself and when we die (or Jesus returns,) we’ll be with Him in heaven!

13: And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.

They thank God for the faith of the Thessalonians. The Thessalonians didn’t just think of God’s word as worldly, but instead saw it in truth and believed. The word is alive and working in their lives.

God’s word grows us and changes us. If we look at our lives five, ten, or more years ago, we’ll see how we have grown in Him and become more like Him (although some of us (**cough** me **cough**) still have a long way to go. This work will ultimately be completed when we are taken to heaven. Praise God for His salvation to us and that one day we will be with Him in heaven!!

1 Thessalonians Day 10

2:9-10

9: For you remember, brothers, our labor and toil: we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.

Paul reminds them of his time with them. We know from studying Paul that he was a tent maker and would do that in order to pay for travels and needs. That way he didn’t need to depend on others to sustain his mission trips, but could focus on presenting the Gospel rather than raising funds. Paul also notes in this verse that they proclaimed the Gospel to the Thessalonians as they worked.

10: You are witnesses, and God also, how holy and righteous and blameless was our conduct toward you believers.

Paul’s conduct while with the believers was worthy of repetition. He and Silas treated the Thessalonians well and were seen as respectable.

We should seek to live in unity with others, whenever possible. There are cases, however, where we must stand our ground and speak of what is right. Paul and Silas’ testimony among the Thessalonians was without reproach. They were in unity with the believers, but were chased out by the Jews who didn’t want the Gospel preached. We should seek to live our lives without reproach. Paul and Silas were not chased out because of bad conduct, but were chased out because the Jews didn’t want to hear the truth of the Gospel. Our reputation should be without reproach and our words should be words of truth.

1 Thessalonians Day 9

2:7-8

7: But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children.

The word “but” signifies a comparison between what comes after the word to what came before it. Instead of being greedy or seeking glory from people, they were gentle. If you’ve seen a mother nurse (or have nursed your own child), the mother is quite gentle, especially when the child is young.

8: So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.

They had become close friends through the sharing of the Gospel. We are called to love one another as Christ loved the church. It can be hard because, at least for myself, I tend to keep to myself and not seek to interact and become super close with others. I find that difficult. Paul, however, was open with them in sharing the Gospel and revealed more about himself than most people do with fellow believers because they had become dear to him. They became close.

We are to share the Gospel with those around us. We may not become super close with the people that we share the Gospel with, or even with everyone in our church, but we are to show love to them. Those who are closest to us can help us during out walk with Christ. They can call us out when we stumble and help us up when we fall. We are not called to walk this life alone. God has given us those people as gifts to help us along the way and we are also to help them. God is with us always, even when we can’t see Him, and has given us people to be with us that we can see (although there may be times in our lives that we don’t have anyone close to us.) Praise God for His loving-kindness!