ROUTE 66 EP 058

Setting the New Testament Context

• The Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John

  • Summary: The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ

  • Note: During the events of the Gospels, Jesus and His disciples are still under the Mosaic Law; the church has not yet formed

• Transition to the Church: Acts (Acts of the Apostles)

  • Description: A unique transitional book moving from:

    • Old Covenant Law to New Covenant grace

    • Nation of Israel focus to inclusion of the Gentiles

    • National framework to individual faith

  • Caution: Acts records one-time historical events and transitional patterns that are not normative today

    • Example: Multiple patterns of receiving the Holy Spirit appear in Acts; today, believers receive the Holy Spirit upon faith in Christ (see highlighted passages in Ephesians)

Opening Illustrations: Human Nature, Humility, and the True Hero

• Personal stories:

  • Pastors’ kids often rebel—caution against spiritual pride

  • Childhood theft of a shiny necklace (second grade)—illustrates innate sinfulness and need for grace

  • “Superman” jump with towel cape leading to a scar and stitches—lifelong lesson: “I am not Superman”

  • Growing up with father’s disability—trying to be the hero, failing, then hearing God’s call through Scripture to let Jesus be the Rescuer and to preach Christ

• Theological takeaway:

  • Humans possess a sin nature “rotten to the core”

  • God exposes pride and tells the truth about us through Scripture

  • We are not the hero—Jesus is the Rescuer

Historical Background and Context in Acts: Thessalonica and Berea

• Ministry path and opposition:

  • Acts 17:1–13:

    • Acts 17:1–2: Paul arrives in Thessalonica, reasons in the synagogue for “three Sabbath days”

    • Acts 17:3–4: Paul proclaims Christ’s suffering and resurrection; some Jews, many devout Greeks, and “chief women” believe

    • Acts 17:5–9: Opposition from unbelieving Jews; mob forms; Jason’s house assaulted; accusations that Christians honor “another king, Jesus”

    • Acts 17:10–12: Move to Berea; Bereans receive the word with readiness, searching the Scriptures daily

    • Acts 17:13: Opposition from Thessalonica pursues Paul to Berea

• Application to first-century believers:

  • Becoming a Christian in Thessalonica brought severe hardship: social unrest, job loss, economic strain

• Suffering in ministry:

  • 2 Corinthians 7:5 (“trouble on every side” in Macedonia): Faithful ministry often produces opposition; difficulty is not always a sign of failure

  • Pastoral illustration: Hiring a pastor who previously experienced conflict—faithfulness can provoke a “ruckus”

Theology of Salvation and the Holy Spirit

• Human condition:

  • All are born in sin; our spirit is “dead” and cannot connect with the living God

  • No one is morally superior from birth; all are equal before God in need of salvation

• Gospel response:

  • Jesus died and rose again; when we put faith in Him, He gives us His Holy Spirit

  • Result: We are “complete in Him” upon belief in Christ; the Holy Spirit indwells believers at conversion (see Ephesians)

• Clarifying common misconceptions:

  • The “good-bad scale” myth:

    • Even our righteousness is as “filthy rags” before God

    • “No one is good—no, not one”

  • Jesus intensifies the Law:

    • Hatred equals murder; lust equals adultery—sin is a matter of the heart

  • Salvation is not by self-made goodness; it is “based upon who you know”—Jesus Christ

Panoramic View of First Thessalonians

• Author: Paul (with Silas/Silvanus and Timothy)

• Audience: Believers in Thessalonica—primarily Gentiles with some Jewish believers

• Occasion:

  • Paul’s rapid departure due to persecution

  • Ongoing pastoral care through letters addressing persecution, sanctification, and hope

• Themes:

  • Encouragement under persecution

  • Holiness and sexual purity

  • Brotherly love and industrious living

  • Eschatological hope, especially the Return of Christ

Primary Events and People

• Paul, Silas, Timothy: Missionary team planting and strengthening the church

• Jason: Local believer whose house is targeted by the mob

• Believing Jews, devout Greeks, chief women: Diverse composition of the church

• Opposing Jews and civic authorities: Social tension the gospel provokes

Key Word: “Coming” in Every Chapter of 1 Thessalonians

• 1 Thessalonians 1:10: “Wait for His Son from heaven… Jesus… delivered us from the wrath to come”

• 1 Thessalonians 2:19: Paul’s joy and crown “in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming”

• 1 Thessalonians 3:13: Hearts established “at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints”

• 1 Thessalonians 4:15: “We who are alive… until the coming of the Lord shall not precede those who are asleep”

• 1 Thessalonians 5:23: Prayer that believers be preserved blameless “unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ”

• Summary theme: Christ’s return comforts us and motivates us to godly living

Comfort as a Major Theme in 1 Thessalonians

• 1 Thessalonians 2:11: “We exhorted and comforted and charged you, as a father does his children”

• 1 Thessalonians 3:2: Timothy sent “to establish you and to comfort you concerning your faith”

• 1 Thessalonians 3:7: Paul “was comforted” by the Thessalonians’ faith amid his affliction

• Principle: Comfort flows both ways—leaders comfort the church; the church’s steadfast faith comforts leaders

First Coming and Second Coming: Lamb and Lion; Ordinances and Baptism

• First Coming:

  • Jesus came as the Lamb of God to take away the sins of the world; death, burial, and resurrection

• Second Coming:

  • Jesus will return as the Lion, to rule and reign—God’s greatest day on the calendar

• Ordinances:

  • Communion remembers Christ’s death

  • Baptism pictures the resurrection: immersion symbolizes burial and rising to new life

  • Critique: Sprinkling does not portray biblical burial and resurrection imagery

Distinguishing the Rapture and the Second Coming

• Framework:

  • Rapture: Christ comes in the sky; the church is caught up to meet Him before the Great Tribulation

  • Second Coming: Christ returns to Earth to rule—believers come with Him

• Caution: Mixing these events leads to doctrinal confusion; keep them distinct in prophetic passages

Core Text: The Comfort of the Lord’s Coming

• 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18:

  • “I would not have you ignorant… concerning them which are asleep… sorrow not… For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again… even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him… Wherefore comfort one another with these words”

• Context:

  • Thessalonian believers were anxious about those who died before Christ’s return

• Comfort mandate:

  • God is the Author of comfort and the Guarantor of reunion through Christ

  • Comfort others specifically “with these words”—Scripture-based consolation

Scripture for Endurance and Encouragement

• Romans 15:4:

  • “Whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope”

• Principle:

  • The Old Testament and all Scripture provide instruction and hope; believers must learn Scripture diligently to experience and share God’s comfort

Mixed Emotions About Christ’s Return: Accountability and Assurance

• Tension:

  • Some fear Christ’s coming because their lives feel messy and unresolved

• Aim of 1 Thessalonians:

  • Encourage a persecuted, young church—“the Deliverer’s coming”

• Application:

  • Let the hope of Christ’s return motivate repentance, perseverance, and active comfort, not avoidance

Structure of 1 Thessalonians: Looking Back and Forward

• Overview:

  • Chapters 1–3: Looking back—Paul affirms their faith and endurance

  • Chapters 4–5: Looking forward—future day of God and the rapture

• Application:

  • Do not live trapped in the past; embrace forward-looking hope grounded in doctrine

Comfort, Sanctification, and Discipleship: Who God Is and Who You Are

• God: The Deliverer and Rescuer

  • Meets us in affliction and brings comfort

  • Calls humans to salvation through Jesus Christ alone and then to discipleship—following Jesus and becoming examples

  • Comfort is both gentle (motherly) and exhorting (fatherly)

• You in Christ: Identity and Calling

  • Saved status: “in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ”

    • 1 Thessalonians 1:1

  • Discipleship and Example:

    • “You became followers of us and of the Lord… examples in Macedonia and Achaia”

    • 1 Thessalonians 1:6–7

  • Comfort and Growth:

    • “Gentle among you, as a nurse cherishes her children”

      • 1 Thessalonians 2:7

    • “As a father exhorted, comforted, and charged you”

      • 1 Thessalonians 2:11

Sanctification and Sexual Purity (Address to Men; Applications for American Culture)

• God’s will:

  • “This is the will of God, even your sanctification: that ye should abstain from fornication”

  • 1 Thessalonians 4:3–6

• Specifics:

  • 4:4: “Possess his vessel in sanctification and honor”—govern body and desires as a godly man

  • 4:5: Avoid “concupiscence” (intensified lust)—distinct from those who do not know God

  • 4:6: Do not “go beyond and defraud” a brother—do not flirt with boundaries or “play by the edge”

• Appearance of evil:

  • “Abstain from all appearance of evil”

  • 1 Thessalonians 5:22

• Cultural application:

  • Treat sexual temptation like a destructive addiction—avoid triggers, cut off access, flee lust

  • Do not rationalize proximity to temptation; set clear boundaries

  • Avoid content with “a few dirty parts”; reject normalized sexual humor and obsession

The Coming Deliverer and the Wrath to Come

• Deliverance promise:

  • “Jesus… delivered us from the wrath to come”

  • 1 Thessalonians 1:10

• Theology:

  • Jesus is the Deliverer; at Calvary He bore our wrath

  • The rapture is the believer’s ultimate deliverance from this fallen world

• Application:

  • Live with expectancy and hope; Christ’s victory defines your future

Affliction as the Arena of God’s Power; Comforting Amid Cultural Opposition

• Principle:

  • Every miracle begins with major trouble; God is drawn to weakness to show Himself strong

• Scriptural threads:

  • Genesis themes—God hears and sees affliction; Joseph’s “land of affliction,” mercy amid hardship

• Psalmic comfort:

  • “Unless Thy law had been my delights, I should then have perished in mine affliction”

  • Psalms 119:92

  • Delight in God’s Word preserves in trials; do not “delight” in trouble by brooding or masking with sin

• Public witness:

  • General references to “God” are tolerated; naming “the Lord Jesus Christ” often provokes backlash

  • Tony Evans city council prayer—asked to omit Jesus; prayed boldly in Jesus’ Name

  • Application: Confessing Jesus may cause problems; faithfulness requires courage

Ministry Focus: Others’ Faith; Giving Practices Under Economic Hardship

• Pastoral emphasis:

  • Chapter 3 references “your faith” repeatedly—model concern for others

  • Serve and encourage others especially during your own suffering; God often lifts you as you lift others

  • Illustration: Water your neighbor’s dry lawn—God brings rain

• Economic hardship and support:

  • Thessalonians faced job loss due to persecution; other churches sent support

  • Modern practice:

    • Support missionaries in impoverished regions who cannot self-fund

    • Church giving should be voluntary and from the heart, not pressured

    • Pastoral example: Shift from passing offering plates to a wall box to avoid pressuring the homeless; encourage cheerful giving

Funeral Ministry and Hard Topics: Comforting with Scripture

• Reality:

  • At funerals, human words are limited; God’s Word is the true source of comfort

  • Death, heaven, hell may offend modern sensibilities, yet Christians must not avoid them

• Application:

  • Presence, compassion, and Scripture bring real comfort

  • Anchor hope in Christ’s death and resurrection and the promise of reunion

Practical Living (Applications for Today)

• How God is revealed:

  • God is holy and just; He does not accept human pride or self-made righteousness

  • God is gracious, sending His Son because none can save themselves

  • God indwells believers by the Holy Spirit upon faith—assuring completeness and empowerment

• Who God says you are:

  • A sinner in need of grace, equal with all humanity in need

  • A beloved, Spirit-indwelled child of God upon faith in Christ

  • A called witness who lives counterculturally with hope, humility, and holiness

• How to live in contemporary American culture:

  • Reject the “religion pie” approach—do not construct beliefs from fragments of opinion, pop culture, or tradition; submit to Scripture

  • Resist pride in good works; boast in Christ, not self

  • Embrace heart-level holiness—guard against hatred and lust

  • Expect opposition when proclaiming Jesus; remain faithful and courageous

  • Be like the Bereans—receive the Word with readiness; search the Scriptures daily to test all teaching

  • Comfort others with Scripture, especially about Christ’s return and resurrection hope

  • Give generously and willingly, without compulsion

Examples and Illustrations from the Pastor

• Acts as “squirly” due to transitional nature: Multiple patterns for receiving the Holy Spirit occur historically, not normatively

• “Good-bad scale” illustration: Jesus reveals the heart’s sinfulness; universal need for grace

• “It’s who you know” analogy: Salvation hinges on knowing Jesus

• “Religion pie” and “bachelor cooking”: Cobbling beliefs from family, work, movies—like misusing a bleach bottle without instructions—leads to harm

• Lucifer’s pride narrative: Exalting self leads to downfall; choose submission to God’s rule

• Cultural expectation of a “soft” Jesus: The real Jesus confronts and calls to repentance

• Tony Evans public prayer: Boldly praying in Jesus’ Name despite pressure

• Edge-of-stage analogy: Stay far from temptation’s cliff to avoid falling

• Addiction comparison: Sexual stimulation can mimic chemical addictions; treat with seriousness and abstinence

• Pastoral vulnerability: Small church, long ministry, criticism—faithfulness amid trouble, like Thessalonica

Scripture References Cited

• Acts 17:1–13 — Thessalonica and Berea; preaching, belief, opposition, Berean nobility

• 2 Corinthians 7:5 — “Trouble on every side” in Macedonia

• 1 Thessalonians 1:1 — Identity: “in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ”

• 1 Thessalonians 1:6–7 — Discipleship and example in Macedonia and Achaia

• 1 Thessalonians 1:10 — Deliverance from the wrath to come

• 1 Thessalonians 2:7 — Maternal gentleness in pastoral care

• 1 Thessalonians 2:11 — Paternal exhortation, comfort, and charge

• 1 Thessalonians 3:2, 3:7, 3:13 — Establishing and comforting faith; holiness at Christ’s coming

• 1 Thessalonians 4:3–6 — Sanctification and sexual purity

• 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 — Comfort in the Lord’s coming; hope for those who “sleep in Jesus”

• 1 Thessalonians 4:15 — The living will not precede the asleep at the Lord’s coming

• 1 Thessalonians 5:22–23 — Abstain from all appearance of evil; preservation blameless unto Christ’s coming

• Romans 15:4 — Patience and comfort through the Scriptures produce hope

• Psalms 119:92 — Delighting in God’s law preserves in affliction

• Additional allusions: Ephesians (indwelling Holy Spirit), Old Testament/Proverbs (pride and “seven sins”), Jesus’ teaching (hatred/murder; lust/adultery)

Key Points

1. Christ’s return is a central theme in every chapter of 1 Thessalonians; it both comforts and motivates godly living.

2. Distinguish biblically between the rapture (meeting Christ in the air) and the Second Coming (Christ returns to Earth to reign).

3. Comfort is a repeated pastoral priority—God comforts His people, and believers should comfort one another specifically with Scripture.

4. Faithful ministry and discipleship often draw opposition; hardship can be evidence of doing something right.

5. Live expectantly and ethically in light of Christ’s imminent coming—order your life, encourage others, and give from a willing heart.

6. God tells the truth about human sin, yet graciously provides salvation and eternal life through Jesus’ death and resurrection.

7. Public allegiance to Jesus may bring resistance; honor Him anyway with courage and clarity.

8. Sanctification requires abstaining from sexual sin and even the appearance of evil; set firm boundaries and flee lust.

9. Affliction is the arena of God’s strength; delight in God’s Word to be preserved in trials.

10. You are not the hero—Jesus is the Rescuer. Receive Him, follow Him, and become an example to others.

Closing Application and Encouragement

• Examine whether your faith rests on personal pride or on Christ alone

• Embrace the Berean discipline—test everything by Scripture daily

• Expect that faithfulness to Jesus will challenge cultural norms and may provoke resistance; persevere with humility and love

• Comfort grieving hearts with the promises of 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18; anchor hope in the resurrection and sure Return of Jesus

• Trust that God indwells and completes you by His Spirit when you place your faith in Jesus Christ

• Read all five chapters of First Thessalonians for encouragement and clarity on comfort, sanctification, and the hope of Christ’s Return

• Live ready: order your life, resist sin, pursue godliness, encourage others, give willingly, and confess Jesus openly—even in a culture that resists His Name