Preface |
3 | |
| Table of Contents |
4 | |
| References and Abbreviations |
8 | |
| Reprint Guidelines |
10 | |
Introduction to 1 and 2 Thessalonians |
11 | |
| City of Thessalonica |
11 | |
| Founding of the Church in Thessalonica |
11 | |
| Date and Place of Origin |
12 | |
| Historical Situation and Purpose |
12 | |
| Authorship |
13 | |
| Silas or Silvanus |
13 | |
| Timothy |
14 | |
1. The Secret of Bountiful Believers (1 Thessalonians 1:1-10) |
16 | |
| Paul´s Second Missionary Journey |
16 | |
| Founding the Church in Thessalonica (Acts 17:1-10) |
16 | |
| Paul´s Concern |
19 | |
| Salutation |
19 | |
| Short Blessing (1:1b) |
20 | |
| Greek Epistolary Style |
20 | |
| Constant Prayer (1:2-3) |
20 | |
| God´s Calling Was Very Evident (1:4-5a) |
21 | |
| Election and Predestination (1:4) |
22 | |
| Imitators of Paul and of the Lord (1:5b-6a) |
23 | |
| Joy in the Midst of Suffering (1:6b-9a) |
24 | |
| From Idols to the Living and True God (1:9b) |
24 | |
| The Gospel in a Nutshell (1:10) |
25 | |
| Signs that God has chosen you (1:4-10) |
26 | |
2. The Character of a Disciple-Maker (1 Thessalonians 2:1-16) |
28 | |
| Our Mission Was Not a Failure (2:1) |
28 | |
| Courage to Take Risks for the Gospel (2:2) |
29 | |
| An Appeal from Honest Motives (2:3-6) |
30 | |
| Refusal to Impose a Financial Burden (2:6b, 9) |
33 | |
| Like a Mother Caring for Her Children (2:6b-8) |
34 | |
| A Holy and Blameless Life (2:10) |
35 | |
| As a Father with His Children (2:11-12) |
36 | |
| Receptivity to God´s Word (2:13a) |
37 | |
| The Effective, Working Word of God (2:13b) |
38 | |
| Persecution from Countrymen (2:14-16) |
39 | |
3. The Warm Heart of a Disciple-Maker (1 Thessalonians 2:17-3:13) |
42 | |
| Paul Longs to See Them Again (2:17-18) |
42 | |
| Prevented by Satan from Returning to Thessalonica (2:18) |
43 | |
| You Are Our Hope, Our Joy, Our Crown (2:19-20) |
44 | |
| Rewards on the Day of the Lord for Service |
44 | |
| When Jesus Comes (2:19) |
47 | |
| Sent Timothy from Athens to Strengthen the Thessalonians (3:1-5) |
47 | |
| Destined for Persecution (3:3-4) |
49 | |
| The Tempter Who Is Behind Persecution (3:5) |
50 | |
| Timothy Returns with Good News (3:6) |
50 | |
| Paul´s Delight in the Thessalonians´Faith (3:7-10) |
51 | |
| A Brief Prayer (3:11-13) |
53 | |
| Lessons for Disciples |
53 | |
4. The Command and Blessing of Holy Sex (1 Thessalonians 4:1-12) |
55 | |
| Aiming at a God-Pleasing Life (4:1-2) |
55 | |
| Sexual Immorality in the Greco-Roman World |
56 | |
| Holy and Honorable Sex (4:3-8) |
57 | |
| Sexual Immorality (4:3) |
58 | |
| Sanctification and Holiness |
58 | |
| Controlling Ourselves Sexually (4:4-5) |
60 | |
| Wronging or Taking Advantage of a Brother (4:6a) |
63 | |
| Severe Punishment for Sexual Immorality (4:6b-8) |
64 | |
| Love for the Brothers (4:9-10) |
66 | |
| Work with Your Own Hands (4:11-12) |
67 | |
5. The Wonder and Warning of Christ´s Return (1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11) |
70 | |
| 1. The Spirits of Sleeping Believers Are with Christ Now (4:14-15) |
70 | |
| 2. The Lord Himself Will Descend from Heaven (4:16) |
71 | |
| 3. Christ Will Come with Great Glory (4:16) |
72 | |
| 4. Christ Will Come with All His Holy Ones (4:14) |
73 | |
| 5. Christ Will Gather All His People Together in the Rapture (4:17) |
75 | |
| 6. The Day of the Lord Will Come Suddenly (5:1-3) |
76 | |
| 7. Christ´s Coming Will Bring Sudden Judgment and Destruction upon the Wicked (5:3) |
77 | |
| 8. In Light of Christ´s Coming We Must Remain Awake and Self-Controlled (5:4-8) |
78 | |
| 9. Believers Are Destined for Salvation, not Wrath (5:9) |
80 | |
| Summary (5:11) |
81 | |
6. Keys to a Healthy Christian Community (1 Thessalonians 5:12-28) |
83 | |
| Respect Your Leaders (5:11-13) |
83 | |
| Faithful Ministry (5:14) |
85 | |
| Kind, Not Vengeful (5:15) |
86 | |
| Be Joyful, Prayerful, and Thankful (5:16-18) |
87 | |
| Don´t Quench the Spirit, but Test Prophetic Words (5:19-22) |
90 | |
| Prophecy in the Corinthian Church (1 Corinthians 14) |
90 | |
| Test Prophecies (5:21-22) |
92 | |
| May God Sanctify You and Keep You Blameless (5:23-24) |
93 | |
| God´s Keeping Power (5:24) |
94 | |
| Final Words (5:25-28) |
96 | |
| Disciple Lessons |
97 | |
7. Awesome Judgment at Christ´s Coming (2 Thessalonians 1:1-12) |
98 | |
| Salutation (1:1-2) |
98 | |
| Growing in Faith, Love, and Perseverance (1:3-5) |
98 | |
| The Wonderful Fruits of Testing (1:3-5) |
100 | |
| Counted Worthy of the Kingdom (1:5) |
102 | |
| God is Just (1:6a) |
102 | |
| God Exacts Just Retribution (1:6b-7a) |
103 | |
| We Are to Leave Vengeance to God |
104 | |
| When Christ Returns He Will Bring Terrible Judgment (1:7b-10) |
105 | |
| Punishment upon Those Who Reject and Disobey (1:8) |
105 | |
| Everlasting, Conscious Punishment (1:9) |
106 | |
| Christ Is to Be Glorified (1:10) |
110 | |
| Raising the Hard Questions |
111 | |
| Fulfilling Every Good Purpose (1:11-12) |
111 | |
8. The Coming Antichrist (2 Thessalonians 2:1-3:5) |
113 | |
| The Day of the Lord (2:1-2) |
113 | |
| The “Man of Lawlessness” or Antichrist in the Bible |
115 | |
| The Revealing of the Antichrist (2:3) |
116 | |
| The Nature of the Antichrist (2:3-5) |
116 | |
| The Restraint of the Antichrist (2:6-7) |
118 | |
| The Overthrow of the Antichrist (2:8) |
119 | |
| The Deceit of the Antichrist (2:9-10a) |
120 | |
| The Gullibility of the Deceived (2:10b-12) |
121 | |
| Saved by God´s Election, the Sanctifying Spirit, and Believing the Truth (2:13-14) |
123 | |
| Hold Fast (2:15) |
124 | |
| A Benediction of Hope, Strength, and Encouragement (2:16-17) |
125 | |
| Protection from the Evil One (3:1-5) |
125 | |
| Lessons for Disciples |
127 | |
9. Warning against Idleness (2 Thessalonians 3:6-18) |
129 | |
| Commanded in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ (3:6) |
129 | |
| A Biblical Work Ethic |
130 | |
| Paul´s Example of Earning His Own Living (3:7-9) |
133 | |
| Paul´s Rule: No Work, No Food (3:10) |
134 | |
| Don´t Be Busybodies, but Work Quietly (3:11) |
135 | |
| Do Not Associate with Lazy Believers (3:14-15) |
138 | |
| Lessons for Disciples |
140 | |
| Concluding Words (3:16-18) |
140 | |
Appendix 1. Can Heathen Who Have Never Heard the Gospel Be Saved? |
142 | |
| An Outline of How the Heathen Might Be Saved |
142 | |
| So Why Preach the Gospel at All? |
144 | |
Appendix 2. How Can There Be a Hell Like the Bible Describes? |
146 | |
Appendix 3. Participant Handout Guides |
148 | |