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1 Thessalonians 4 :1-18

1 Thessalonians 4 :1-18 . Auditorium Class Fall 2013. Setting. Audience: Thessalonian Christians Location of writing: Corinth Date of letter: A.D. 51 or 52 Historical Setting: Second Missionary Journey Purpose: Encourage newly converted Christians. Thessalonica.

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1 Thessalonians 4 :1-18

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  1. 1 Thessalonians 4:1-18 Auditorium Class Fall 2013

  2. Setting • Audience: Thessalonian Christians • Location of writing: Corinth • Date of letter: A.D. 51 or 52 • Historical Setting: Second Missionary Journey • Purpose: Encourage newly converted Christians

  3. Thessalonica

  4. 1 Thessalonians 4:1-18 • v1-8: Maintain Moral Purity • v1: “we beseech you, brethren,” Paul makes an appeal leveraging their relationship as brothers in Christ. He establishes a connection. • v1: “as ye received … to please God, so ye would abound more and more.” Paul sets expectations for the coming topic. • v2: Calls to remembrance the commandments delivered. • v3: “this…will of God, …that ye should abstain from fornication.” • Greek culture emphasized and idealized fertility. Why? • Society was mostly agricultural. The larger your family the more land you could work. • Their gods were depicted as promiscuous often seducing humans. • There was little social stigma surrounding sex before marriage. • Some cultures required a demonstration of fertility before marriage. • There was no moral code to discourage. • Thought questions: • What do we have to emphasize to combat societal norms? • What is part of Paul’s approach?

  5. 1 Thessalonians 4:1-18 • V4-6: Moral Purity (continued) • v4: “possess his vessel in sanctification and honor” • Sanctification = process of being holy • Romans 6:19 – “yield your members servants to righteousness” • 1 Cor. 6:19 – “know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own.”

  6. 1 Thessalonians 4:1-18 • V4-6: Moral Purity (continued) • v4: “possess his vessel in sanctification and honor” • v5: “not in the lust of concupiscence, …as Gentiles” • lust of concupiscence = lustful passion = passionate lust • seeking personal gratification • Why? “…knew not God.”

  7. 1 Thessalonians 4:1-18 • V4-6: Moral Purity (continued) • v4: “possess his vessel in sanctification and honor” • v5: “not in the lust of concupiscence, …as Gentiles” • v6: “that no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter” • NIV – “and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister.” • Generally: Do not deal falsely with another • Contextually: Do not covet or take another’s spouse • v6: “…the Lord is the avenger of all such” • Gal. 6:7-8, Col. 3:6

  8. 1 Thessalonians 4:1-18 • V4-6: Moral Purity (continued) • v4: “possess his vessel in sanctification and honor” • v5: “not in the lust of concupiscence, …as Gentiles” • v6: “that no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter” • v6: “…the Lord is the avenger of all such” • v7: “God hath not called us to uncleanness, but to holiness.” • v8: NASV “So, he who rejects this is not rejecting man but the God who gives the Holy Spirit to you.” • It was not a rejection of Paul but of God.

  9. 1 Thessalonians 4:1-18 • v9-10: Brotherly Love • v9: “…ye need not that I write unto you…” • Paul commends them for what they are doing. • Paul gives God the glory. • v10: “… ye do it toward all the brethren, but…” • Paul challenges them to do more.

  10. 1 Thessalonians 4:1-18 • v11-12: Take care of business • v11: NASV “…make it your ambition, to lead a quiet life and attend to our own business and work with you hands, just as we commanded you,” • The morals of Greek society did not prevent one from defrauding another. • Christians could not participate in such a lifestyle. • v12: “… that ye walk honestly… lack nothing.” • It was important for people to recognize Christians as being trustworthy. Otherwise, there is no reason for them to believe their teaching of the gospel.

  11. 1 Thessalonians 4:1-18 • v13-18: The Resurrection • v13: There was a concern about those Christians that had already died. Paul wanted them to be informed. • v14: If Jesus died and rose, so will they. • v15: Live Christians will not delay or prevent dead Christians in the resurrection. • v16: The dead in Christ shall rise first. • v17: All Christians will meet the Lord in the air to be with him forever. • v18: Take comfort in these words. • Thought questions: • Do we grasp God’s word well enough to convey deep concepts? • Do we patiently and thoughtfully walk individuals through tough concepts to comfort them?

  12. Schedule

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