Verses 12-28 of Chapter 5 consist of Paul’s “final words” in this letter to this church. In Part 1 or 3 on this passage we will dive deeper into verse 12-14 and Paul’s will on encourage the Jesus-followers here in Thessalonica to embrace a certain attitude toward Gospel ministers and Gospel ministry.
In Part 1 of 2 in Thessalonians 5:1-11 we looked at “His Return”. This week in Part 2 we’ll consider “Our Response” and the perspective/attitude His followers ought to have in regard to His return.
This entire passage deals, in one way or another, with the “day of the Lord” but there is far too much to preach on in one sermon. This week is Part 1 of 2 that we look at the nature of Jesus’s return and how it will be unpredictable as well as Inescapable.
Paul is seeking in this passage to both encourage and call on his listeners to encourage others to be hopeful about those who have died in Christ. It is absolutely not the end for them. They can and must remain hopeful. But how? Paul gives clear direction. They (and we!) remain hopeful by looking to Jesus (the One who died but didn’t stay dead), listening to what Jesus says on this matter, and by going and comforting others with these truths.
As we continue with Part 2 in 1 Thessalonians 4:9-12 we specifically focus on verses 11-12. Paul is helpful here in affirming that love is observable. While it is good for us to declare we love the body God has given us, we must also demonstrate we do as is detailed in verse 11. Paul goes on to share in verse 12 that such demonstrable love makes a difference both externally (to outsiders) and internally (us who are already a part of the family).
In Part 1 of this sermon on 1 Thess. 4:9-12. The call to love one another within the body of Christ is the central. From this text we will look at the details Paul relays about this all-important love we must show our brothers and sisters. Paul is adamant that such love is neither optional nor individually defined. Instead, Paul makes these things clear about love.
At the start of this new chapter, Paul goes right into a discussion about the importance (and imperative!) of a life lived in devotion to the Lord Jesus, which manifests itself in holiness. Paul specifically calls it a “walk”. The walk is a Jewish euphemism that we actually understand in our own culture (i.e. whenever we say something like “don’t just talk the talk, walk the walk”). To Paul, it matters whether not we are actually living out the devotion to our King that we claim we have. Are we walking this walk?
It is not all that uncommon for Paul to break out into prayer in his letters and/or to mention what he has been praying and continues to pray for these Jesus-followers he loves so dearly. Here he does just that. As a result, we can learn a thing or two from his prayer.
Without doubt, God has moved in the lives of these Jesus-followers in Thessalonica to encourage and sustain them in the midst of severe persecution. But that also moved Paul. He was moved to gratitude, to prayer, and to recognize a way he could serve a purpose among this fellowship.
Paul did indeed get that report from Timothy regarding the faith of the Jesus-followers in Thessalonica. The report is quite positive! Paul hears that their allegiance to Jesus continues. This passage is helpful to us for a number of reasons. Faithfulness is supposed to be observable and tangible. And it should encourage us when we see it is present and lived out in every church. It should also encourage us when we see that fidelity to Jesus remains steadfast through thick and thin. All of this was proven true by these faithful believers in Thessalonica and, as such, was “good news” to Paul. Like Paul we ought to rejoice at such faithfulness, but it also should serve as a paradigm for us. What is it about this church’s faithfulness that can serve as a model for our own faithfulness?