1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:04,160 Speaker 1: Welcome faithful listeners to the Book of First Thessalonians. I 2 00:00:04,240 --> 00:00:07,280 Speaker 1: am so excited to delve into this book because this 3 00:00:07,480 --> 00:00:10,799 Speaker 1: is the one where Paul talks a lot about Jesus's 4 00:00:10,880 --> 00:00:13,600 Speaker 1: second coming. So we are going to get into that today. 5 00:00:13,800 --> 00:00:15,760 Speaker 1: And I'm not going to do a typical episode like 6 00:00:15,840 --> 00:00:18,560 Speaker 1: I usually do, where I do like an introduction, then 7 00:00:18,640 --> 00:00:22,040 Speaker 1: my music and then make some small talk and then 8 00:00:22,079 --> 00:00:25,079 Speaker 1: get to the meat of the episode. Instead, I'm going 9 00:00:25,079 --> 00:00:28,200 Speaker 1: to dive in right now. Paul wrote the Book of 10 00:00:28,200 --> 00:00:32,040 Speaker 1: First Thessalonians to the Church of thessalon Nika, which is 11 00:00:32,400 --> 00:00:36,640 Speaker 1: of course today modern day Thessala Andiki. But thesala and 12 00:00:36,680 --> 00:00:39,000 Speaker 1: Nika was a very important city. It was a very 13 00:00:39,120 --> 00:00:42,400 Speaker 1: wealthy city as well, just based upon where it was located, 14 00:00:42,880 --> 00:00:45,960 Speaker 1: right on the Mediterranean Sea. It became a shipping port 15 00:00:46,240 --> 00:00:49,080 Speaker 1: for both the east and the west because it was 16 00:00:49,120 --> 00:00:53,920 Speaker 1: like located like up near the ag and c in 17 00:00:54,000 --> 00:00:58,280 Speaker 1: the what is this, what's this golf here? The Thermaic golf, 18 00:00:58,680 --> 00:01:00,840 Speaker 1: I believe it is. So it was just in a 19 00:01:00,880 --> 00:01:07,559 Speaker 1: really prime location for shipping, which was why Thesalonika became 20 00:01:07,600 --> 00:01:10,200 Speaker 1: such an important city. And it also kind of had 21 00:01:10,240 --> 00:01:13,360 Speaker 1: its own autonomy as well. Even though Rome occupied much 22 00:01:13,400 --> 00:01:17,520 Speaker 1: of the ancient world, thesala Andika specifically had a lot 23 00:01:17,560 --> 00:01:21,840 Speaker 1: of its own governance and autonomy because right after Julius 24 00:01:21,840 --> 00:01:25,760 Speaker 1: Caesar was murdered, I believe in forty nine BC, the 25 00:01:25,800 --> 00:01:30,880 Speaker 1: city of Thesalonika actually supported the Roman civil wars, and 26 00:01:30,959 --> 00:01:35,920 Speaker 1: because of that, Octavian granted Thesalonika its own self governance 27 00:01:35,959 --> 00:01:38,520 Speaker 1: in a sense, even though Rome was still kind of 28 00:01:38,520 --> 00:01:42,560 Speaker 1: in control. So Thesalonika is an important city in the 29 00:01:42,640 --> 00:01:46,440 Speaker 1: days of Paul. And when Paul first went to Thesalonika, 30 00:01:46,840 --> 00:01:49,200 Speaker 1: that's talked about in Acts chapter seventeen, which I will 31 00:01:49,200 --> 00:01:51,840 Speaker 1: get into in just a few minutes here. When he 32 00:01:51,880 --> 00:01:56,840 Speaker 1: went there, the people were receptive to the gospel, but 33 00:01:56,920 --> 00:01:59,400 Speaker 1: there are some actually really nasty people there that ended 34 00:01:59,440 --> 00:02:04,600 Speaker 1: up kicking Paul out only three weeks after Paul's arrival there. 35 00:02:05,520 --> 00:02:08,440 Speaker 1: But Paul in those three weeks had enough time to 36 00:02:08,600 --> 00:02:13,200 Speaker 1: plant a church in Thesalonika. So Paul plants this church, 37 00:02:13,919 --> 00:02:17,600 Speaker 1: leaves like two weeks later, but is like super concerned 38 00:02:17,639 --> 00:02:20,080 Speaker 1: because he was only able to plant that church for 39 00:02:20,160 --> 00:02:24,560 Speaker 1: like a minute before leaving from religious persecution. So what 40 00:02:24,560 --> 00:02:28,520 Speaker 1: Paul does is he sends Timothy, we find out, to 41 00:02:28,800 --> 00:02:33,400 Speaker 1: Thessalonika to continue to preach the gospel and help build 42 00:02:33,440 --> 00:02:37,440 Speaker 1: that newly planted church. When Timothy comes back to Paul, 43 00:02:37,760 --> 00:02:40,040 Speaker 1: Timothy actually gives a pretty good report as to what 44 00:02:40,160 --> 00:02:43,720 Speaker 1: is going on in Thesalonika. However, they had a lot 45 00:02:43,760 --> 00:02:49,160 Speaker 1: of questions regarding Jesus's second coming, which was what prompted 46 00:02:49,200 --> 00:02:51,840 Speaker 1: Paul to write this letter. And this is one of 47 00:02:51,840 --> 00:02:55,400 Speaker 1: the first letters Paul ever wrote, and it's also one 48 00:02:55,400 --> 00:02:58,720 Speaker 1: of the oldest Christian documents that we have. The only 49 00:02:59,200 --> 00:03:02,080 Speaker 1: other letter that that is contested to potentially be the 50 00:03:02,120 --> 00:03:05,760 Speaker 1: first letter Paul wrote was the Book of Galatians, but 51 00:03:06,160 --> 00:03:08,480 Speaker 1: very likely Paul could have been writing them around the 52 00:03:08,520 --> 00:03:11,800 Speaker 1: same time. But many scholars actually do think that First 53 00:03:11,840 --> 00:03:16,280 Speaker 1: Thessalonians is the first letter Paul ever wrote. So let's 54 00:03:16,280 --> 00:03:18,080 Speaker 1: go ahead and start and see what Paul has to say. 55 00:03:18,440 --> 00:03:20,440 Speaker 1: And one thing you're going to notice as we go 56 00:03:20,560 --> 00:03:25,960 Speaker 1: through First Thessalonians, Paul mentions Jesus's second coming in every 57 00:03:26,320 --> 00:03:29,720 Speaker 1: single chapter at least once, because that was what the 58 00:03:29,760 --> 00:03:33,280 Speaker 1: main concern of the Thessalonians actually was. So let's read 59 00:03:33,320 --> 00:03:36,520 Speaker 1: First Thessalonians. One the entire thing. It is very short. 60 00:03:36,560 --> 00:03:38,760 Speaker 1: It is only ten verses, so we're going to get 61 00:03:38,800 --> 00:03:43,920 Speaker 1: into it right now. Paul, Sylvanus and Timothy to the 62 00:03:43,960 --> 00:03:46,960 Speaker 1: assembly of the Thessalonians. In God, the Father and the 63 00:03:46,960 --> 00:03:50,080 Speaker 1: Lord Jesus Christ. Grace to you and peace from God, 64 00:03:50,080 --> 00:03:53,280 Speaker 1: our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We always give 65 00:03:53,320 --> 00:03:55,640 Speaker 1: thanks to God for all of you, mentioning you in 66 00:03:55,680 --> 00:03:59,120 Speaker 1: our prayers, remembering without ceasing your work of faith and 67 00:03:59,200 --> 00:04:02,040 Speaker 1: labor of love and perseverance of hope in our Lord 68 00:04:02,120 --> 00:04:06,120 Speaker 1: Jesus Christ. Before our God and Father, we know, brothers 69 00:04:06,240 --> 00:04:08,800 Speaker 1: loved by God, that you are chosen, and that our 70 00:04:08,800 --> 00:04:11,000 Speaker 1: good news came to you, not in word only, but 71 00:04:11,040 --> 00:04:13,760 Speaker 1: also in power and in the Holy Spirit. And with 72 00:04:13,880 --> 00:04:16,760 Speaker 1: much assurance. You know what kind of men we showed 73 00:04:16,760 --> 00:04:19,719 Speaker 1: ourselves to be among you. For your sake. You became 74 00:04:19,760 --> 00:04:22,560 Speaker 1: imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the 75 00:04:22,600 --> 00:04:25,760 Speaker 1: Word in much affliction with joy of the Holy Spirit, 76 00:04:26,120 --> 00:04:28,240 Speaker 1: so that you became an example to all who believe 77 00:04:28,320 --> 00:04:31,760 Speaker 1: in Macedonia and Akaia. For from you the word of 78 00:04:31,800 --> 00:04:35,240 Speaker 1: the Lord has been declared not only in Macedonia and Akaia, 79 00:04:35,520 --> 00:04:37,640 Speaker 1: but also in every place. Your faith toward God has 80 00:04:37,680 --> 00:04:40,320 Speaker 1: gone out so that we need not to say anything, 81 00:04:40,720 --> 00:04:42,960 Speaker 1: for they themselves report concerning us what kind of a 82 00:04:42,960 --> 00:04:45,560 Speaker 1: reception we had from you, and how you turned to 83 00:04:45,640 --> 00:04:48,560 Speaker 1: God from idols to serve a living and true God 84 00:04:48,839 --> 00:04:51,400 Speaker 1: and to wait for his son from heaven whom he 85 00:04:51,520 --> 00:04:55,080 Speaker 1: raised from the dead, Jesus, who delivers us from the 86 00:04:55,120 --> 00:04:59,479 Speaker 1: wrath to come. Okay, So it says in verse one 87 00:04:59,520 --> 00:05:02,880 Speaker 1: that Paul, Sylvanus and Timothy were the co authors of 88 00:05:02,920 --> 00:05:06,720 Speaker 1: this letter, but most likely just Paul wrote it. We 89 00:05:06,760 --> 00:05:10,080 Speaker 1: do see Paul giving credit to Timothy quite often for 90 00:05:10,279 --> 00:05:13,560 Speaker 1: co authoring a letter with him. But you know, you 91 00:05:13,600 --> 00:05:18,320 Speaker 1: can just tell Paul's writing style, and first Thessalonians definitely 92 00:05:18,360 --> 00:05:22,560 Speaker 1: follows Paul's writing style. But he mentions this guy sylvanis here, 93 00:05:22,920 --> 00:05:25,359 Speaker 1: That would have just been Silas. It could be that 94 00:05:25,400 --> 00:05:29,240 Speaker 1: the reason Paul included Silas and Timothy in this was 95 00:05:29,279 --> 00:05:32,520 Speaker 1: because the Church of the Thessalonians would have known who 96 00:05:32,600 --> 00:05:36,520 Speaker 1: Timothy and Silas actually were, and so if they received 97 00:05:36,560 --> 00:05:39,680 Speaker 1: a letter from all three of them, that would have 98 00:05:39,720 --> 00:05:43,320 Speaker 1: been very meaningful, very special to them, because they did 99 00:05:43,600 --> 00:05:46,880 Speaker 1: have a lot of communication actually with Timothy and also 100 00:05:46,960 --> 00:05:50,720 Speaker 1: with Silas. I believe Silas did stay in the region 101 00:05:50,920 --> 00:05:53,880 Speaker 1: longer than Paul did. Paul had to leave very quickly, 102 00:05:54,200 --> 00:05:58,200 Speaker 1: but Silas stayed behind for some time. So once again, 103 00:05:58,240 --> 00:06:01,599 Speaker 1: the church would have actually known Timothy and Silas a 104 00:06:01,600 --> 00:06:03,760 Speaker 1: lot more than they would have known Paul, which could 105 00:06:03,760 --> 00:06:07,240 Speaker 1: have been why Paul included them in this letter. So 106 00:06:07,279 --> 00:06:09,680 Speaker 1: he says, to the assembly of the Thessalonians in God, 107 00:06:09,720 --> 00:06:13,040 Speaker 1: the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Now Paul addresses 108 00:06:13,080 --> 00:06:17,120 Speaker 1: the entire Thessalonian church here, so this would have included 109 00:06:17,520 --> 00:06:20,800 Speaker 1: men and women together. A lot of critics of the 110 00:06:20,800 --> 00:06:24,320 Speaker 1: Bible actually say that, you know, Paul was so sexist, 111 00:06:24,800 --> 00:06:27,840 Speaker 1: he only ever addressed the men in the room, But 112 00:06:27,880 --> 00:06:30,400 Speaker 1: that is absolutely not true, because he's addressing the entire 113 00:06:30,480 --> 00:06:33,679 Speaker 1: church here, and he gives them this very nice greeting. 114 00:06:33,920 --> 00:06:36,680 Speaker 1: He says, grace to you and peace from God, our 115 00:06:36,720 --> 00:06:39,559 Speaker 1: Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. So this now brings 116 00:06:39,600 --> 00:06:43,160 Speaker 1: me to the story of Paul founding this church in 117 00:06:43,240 --> 00:06:46,800 Speaker 1: Acts chapter seventeen, So let's read about that. This would 118 00:06:46,800 --> 00:06:50,440 Speaker 1: have been Paul's second missionary journey. Starting in verse one, 119 00:06:50,480 --> 00:06:54,000 Speaker 1: it says, now, when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, 120 00:06:54,160 --> 00:06:58,200 Speaker 1: they came to Thessalonika, where there was a Jewish synagogue. Paul, 121 00:06:58,320 --> 00:07:01,200 Speaker 1: as was his custom, went into them and for three 122 00:07:01,240 --> 00:07:04,839 Speaker 1: Sabbath days reasoned with them from the scriptures, explaining and 123 00:07:04,920 --> 00:07:08,280 Speaker 1: demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again 124 00:07:08,320 --> 00:07:11,679 Speaker 1: from the dead, and saying this Jesus, whom I proclaim 125 00:07:11,720 --> 00:07:14,920 Speaker 1: to you, is the Christ. Some of them were persuaded 126 00:07:14,960 --> 00:07:18,320 Speaker 1: and joined Paul and Silas of the devout Greeks, a 127 00:07:18,360 --> 00:07:20,880 Speaker 1: great multitude and not a few of the chief women. 128 00:07:21,560 --> 00:07:24,960 Speaker 1: But the unpersuaded Jews took along some wicked men from 129 00:07:25,000 --> 00:07:27,800 Speaker 1: the marketplace, and gathering a crowd, set the city in 130 00:07:27,840 --> 00:07:31,240 Speaker 1: an uproar, assaulting the house of Jason. They sought to 131 00:07:31,240 --> 00:07:34,040 Speaker 1: bring them out to the people. When they didn't find them, 132 00:07:34,080 --> 00:07:37,239 Speaker 1: they dragged it Jason and certain brothers before the rulers 133 00:07:37,280 --> 00:07:40,440 Speaker 1: of the city, crying, these are who have turned the 134 00:07:40,480 --> 00:07:43,840 Speaker 1: world upside down. They have come here also whom Jason 135 00:07:43,880 --> 00:07:47,520 Speaker 1: has received. These all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, 136 00:07:47,920 --> 00:07:51,240 Speaker 1: saying that there is another king, Jesus. The multitude and 137 00:07:51,320 --> 00:07:53,600 Speaker 1: rulers of the city were troubled when they heard these things. 138 00:07:53,960 --> 00:07:56,440 Speaker 1: When they had taken security from Jason and the rest, 139 00:07:56,600 --> 00:07:59,720 Speaker 1: they let them go. The brothers immediately sent Paul and 140 00:07:59,760 --> 00:08:02,560 Speaker 1: signed us away by night to Berea. When they arrived, 141 00:08:02,600 --> 00:08:05,120 Speaker 1: they went into the Jewish synagogue. Oh, I'm sorry, I 142 00:08:05,160 --> 00:08:07,800 Speaker 1: does say right here that Silas went with Paul. Forgive 143 00:08:07,880 --> 00:08:11,080 Speaker 1: me for that. I was wrong. Silas did in fact 144 00:08:11,160 --> 00:08:15,840 Speaker 1: go with Paul from thesala Andaika to Berea. I misunderstood 145 00:08:15,920 --> 00:08:18,960 Speaker 1: because later on down in verse fourteen of the same chapter, 146 00:08:19,280 --> 00:08:23,520 Speaker 1: it says that Silas stayed behind in Berea, but he 147 00:08:23,560 --> 00:08:26,240 Speaker 1: did not stay in thesala Andaika. But anyway, that's the 148 00:08:26,320 --> 00:08:31,760 Speaker 1: story of Paul going to the Church of Thesalonaika and 149 00:08:31,800 --> 00:08:35,600 Speaker 1: planting it, you know, staying there for three weeks, talking 150 00:08:35,600 --> 00:08:38,160 Speaker 1: to many of these Jewish people who ended up becoming 151 00:08:38,240 --> 00:08:42,560 Speaker 1: persuaded that Jesus was in fact the Messiah. And it 152 00:08:42,559 --> 00:08:45,800 Speaker 1: says right here that this guy named Jason was the 153 00:08:45,800 --> 00:08:48,760 Speaker 1: one who accepted Paul into his house. We know that 154 00:08:48,920 --> 00:08:52,439 Speaker 1: back in these days, you know, there weren't exactly church buildings. 155 00:08:52,440 --> 00:08:56,440 Speaker 1: Not till much later on, people would do church inside 156 00:08:56,480 --> 00:08:58,800 Speaker 1: of their own homes. So it sounds to me like 157 00:08:59,000 --> 00:09:04,160 Speaker 1: this Jason man was who hosted the Church of Thessalonika 158 00:09:04,240 --> 00:09:06,920 Speaker 1: until he got arrested, you know, and then after that 159 00:09:07,200 --> 00:09:10,800 Speaker 1: Paul had to leave. They went to Berea where they 160 00:09:10,840 --> 00:09:13,120 Speaker 1: stayed for some amount of time, and then of course 161 00:09:13,160 --> 00:09:17,080 Speaker 1: had to leave from Berea as well because of religious persecution. 162 00:09:17,360 --> 00:09:20,240 Speaker 1: But anyway, that's the story of Paul planting the church 163 00:09:20,360 --> 00:09:24,280 Speaker 1: of Thessalonika. And notice there it does actually say that 164 00:09:24,320 --> 00:09:27,800 Speaker 1: there were many women who ended up believing this message 165 00:09:28,160 --> 00:09:30,960 Speaker 1: of Jesus as well. So when Paul writes this letter 166 00:09:31,040 --> 00:09:35,000 Speaker 1: to the Thessalonians, he is addressing the entire church. And 167 00:09:35,040 --> 00:09:38,599 Speaker 1: then he says this in verse two of first Thessalonians, 168 00:09:39,200 --> 00:09:41,560 Speaker 1: we always give thanks to God for all of you, 169 00:09:41,960 --> 00:09:46,080 Speaker 1: mentioning you in our prayers, remembering without ceasing your work 170 00:09:46,280 --> 00:09:50,760 Speaker 1: of faith and labor of love and perseverance of hope 171 00:09:51,280 --> 00:09:54,080 Speaker 1: in our Lord Jesus Christ, before our God and Father. 172 00:09:54,480 --> 00:09:56,360 Speaker 1: Now this is the first time we see Paul mention 173 00:09:56,480 --> 00:10:01,000 Speaker 1: the famous trio faith, hope, and love. And apparently the 174 00:10:01,000 --> 00:10:05,079 Speaker 1: Thessalonians had these things, and Paul's encouraging them to continue 175 00:10:05,120 --> 00:10:07,720 Speaker 1: in faith, hope and love. He says, in my prayers, 176 00:10:07,760 --> 00:10:10,520 Speaker 1: I remember your work of faith, I remember your labor 177 00:10:10,559 --> 00:10:14,160 Speaker 1: of love, and I remember your perseverance of hope. Now, 178 00:10:14,200 --> 00:10:17,800 Speaker 1: all that being said, we know that faith is not 179 00:10:17,920 --> 00:10:20,240 Speaker 1: a work, even though it says right here your work 180 00:10:20,280 --> 00:10:24,720 Speaker 1: of faith. But faith does produce works. And then likewise, 181 00:10:25,440 --> 00:10:29,480 Speaker 1: labor does not produce love, but the opposite love produces labor. 182 00:10:30,000 --> 00:10:34,320 Speaker 1: And same with perseverance of hope. Perseverance does not produce hope, 183 00:10:34,600 --> 00:10:38,680 Speaker 1: but hope produces perseverance. But moving on into verse four, 184 00:10:39,000 --> 00:10:41,360 Speaker 1: he says, we know, brothers loved by God, that you 185 00:10:41,400 --> 00:10:44,160 Speaker 1: are chosen, and that our good news came to you, 186 00:10:44,280 --> 00:10:46,680 Speaker 1: not in word only, but also in power and in 187 00:10:46,720 --> 00:10:49,800 Speaker 1: the Holy Spirit, with much assurance. So there's that word 188 00:10:49,880 --> 00:10:54,040 Speaker 1: chosen again. We've seen that pop up a lot in scripture, 189 00:10:54,800 --> 00:10:58,640 Speaker 1: where Paul calls the church the chosen ones of God. Now, 190 00:10:58,640 --> 00:11:02,040 Speaker 1: of course, if you're Calvin, you're going to believe that 191 00:11:02,160 --> 00:11:06,200 Speaker 1: this means you were chosen for salvation, that some people 192 00:11:06,280 --> 00:11:09,760 Speaker 1: are chosen for salvation and some people are not chosen 193 00:11:09,800 --> 00:11:12,839 Speaker 1: for salvation. But that is not what the text here 194 00:11:12,920 --> 00:11:15,960 Speaker 1: is saying. He just says they were chosen. So what 195 00:11:16,000 --> 00:11:19,880 Speaker 1: were they chosen for? They were chosen to continue the 196 00:11:19,920 --> 00:11:23,840 Speaker 1: good work of Jesus. Jesus is the chosen one. Jesus 197 00:11:23,880 --> 00:11:27,160 Speaker 1: is the one who is predestined before anybody else, and 198 00:11:27,240 --> 00:11:31,680 Speaker 1: so every single person who believes in Jesus shares in 199 00:11:31,720 --> 00:11:35,400 Speaker 1: that predestination with him. But we are not predestined on 200 00:11:35,480 --> 00:11:38,480 Speaker 1: our own. God doesn't just zap us straight into heaven. 201 00:11:38,520 --> 00:11:40,160 Speaker 1: He doesn't just say, Okay, I'm going to choose these 202 00:11:40,200 --> 00:11:42,680 Speaker 1: guys and reject to these guys. That is clear in 203 00:11:42,720 --> 00:11:45,640 Speaker 1: scripture that God allows each and every one of us 204 00:11:45,760 --> 00:11:48,960 Speaker 1: to make a choice. And it's also clear in scripture 205 00:11:48,960 --> 00:11:52,599 Speaker 1: that it was Jesus. Jesus is the one who is predestined, 206 00:11:52,640 --> 00:11:56,400 Speaker 1: the one who has chosen before the foundations of the world, 207 00:11:56,720 --> 00:12:00,600 Speaker 1: and so anybody who believes in Jesus becomes chosen with him. 208 00:12:01,040 --> 00:12:03,040 Speaker 1: He says, our good news has come to you, not 209 00:12:03,120 --> 00:12:05,720 Speaker 1: only in word, but also in power and in the 210 00:12:05,760 --> 00:12:08,839 Speaker 1: Holy Spirit, and with much assurance. And this is something 211 00:12:08,840 --> 00:12:11,680 Speaker 1: that Paul is so good at doing. You'll notice that 212 00:12:11,720 --> 00:12:15,480 Speaker 1: whenever Paul starts to address a church or a person, 213 00:12:16,360 --> 00:12:19,120 Speaker 1: he starts by complimenting them with something that they are 214 00:12:19,120 --> 00:12:23,000 Speaker 1: doing good. I would say the one caveat with that 215 00:12:23,240 --> 00:12:27,720 Speaker 1: is the Corinthian Church. And even when he was kind 216 00:12:27,720 --> 00:12:29,680 Speaker 1: of complimenting them. You could tell it was in a 217 00:12:29,800 --> 00:12:32,960 Speaker 1: very snarkily sort of way. But with the Thessalonians, they 218 00:12:33,000 --> 00:12:36,400 Speaker 1: really are doing good work. They have faith, hope, and love, 219 00:12:36,679 --> 00:12:39,640 Speaker 1: and that is encouraging Paul, especially considering the fact that 220 00:12:39,760 --> 00:12:42,520 Speaker 1: he was not able to be there with them for 221 00:12:42,720 --> 00:12:46,680 Speaker 1: very long before leaving. So he's encouraged by these good 222 00:12:46,840 --> 00:12:49,840 Speaker 1: signs in this church that he is seeing. And then 223 00:12:49,880 --> 00:12:52,280 Speaker 1: he continues in verse five, you know what kind of 224 00:12:52,360 --> 00:12:55,280 Speaker 1: men we showed ourselves to be among you? For your sake? 225 00:12:55,920 --> 00:12:59,120 Speaker 1: You became imitators of us and of the Lord, having 226 00:12:59,160 --> 00:13:02,000 Speaker 1: received the word in much affliction with joy of the 227 00:13:02,000 --> 00:13:04,400 Speaker 1: Holy Spirit. Now this is another time where we see 228 00:13:04,440 --> 00:13:08,600 Speaker 1: Paul encouraging people to imitate him. Now, in this case 229 00:13:08,640 --> 00:13:12,400 Speaker 1: he's saying imitate us. That would be Paul, Silas and Timothy. 230 00:13:13,400 --> 00:13:16,360 Speaker 1: But in general, people get kind of irritated about this phrase. 231 00:13:16,400 --> 00:13:18,959 Speaker 1: They're like, you know, Paul was so arrogant to say 232 00:13:19,040 --> 00:13:22,640 Speaker 1: that people should imitate him. He should have just told 233 00:13:22,640 --> 00:13:25,400 Speaker 1: them from the beginning that they need to imitate Jesus. 234 00:13:25,960 --> 00:13:29,120 Speaker 1: But don't forget, you know, the New Testament was not 235 00:13:29,200 --> 00:13:32,360 Speaker 1: written yet. The people didn't have a clear picture of 236 00:13:32,400 --> 00:13:35,720 Speaker 1: who Jesus was yet, and that was why Paul was 237 00:13:35,800 --> 00:13:40,360 Speaker 1: constantly saying, imitate me as I imitate Christ. Because the 238 00:13:40,440 --> 00:13:44,240 Speaker 1: people could see Paul. They could see how Paul was 239 00:13:44,280 --> 00:13:48,080 Speaker 1: living and acting as a Christian. That's why Paul says, 240 00:13:48,120 --> 00:13:53,000 Speaker 1: imitate me, or imitate us as we imitate Christ. You 241 00:13:53,160 --> 00:13:55,560 Speaker 1: saw what kind of men we were, and you were 242 00:13:55,640 --> 00:13:59,560 Speaker 1: happy to imitate us. You became imitators of us and 243 00:14:00,120 --> 00:14:03,839 Speaker 1: of the Lord, having received the Word in much affliction, 244 00:14:04,559 --> 00:14:07,320 Speaker 1: with joy of the Holy Spirit. So don't forget, you know. 245 00:14:07,360 --> 00:14:12,520 Speaker 1: When Paul first planted that church, Acts Chapter seventeen tells 246 00:14:12,600 --> 00:14:15,440 Speaker 1: us that there was problems from the very beginning, like 247 00:14:15,520 --> 00:14:19,880 Speaker 1: persecution problems where that poor man Jason got like dragged 248 00:14:19,920 --> 00:14:25,240 Speaker 1: to the magistrates, nearly imprisoned, and then fined for absolutely nothing, 249 00:14:25,280 --> 00:14:27,480 Speaker 1: like poor Jason had to shell out to all of 250 00:14:27,520 --> 00:14:31,600 Speaker 1: this money for absolutely no reason because of the lies 251 00:14:31,640 --> 00:14:35,320 Speaker 1: that people said about Christians. But in spite of all that, 252 00:14:36,160 --> 00:14:40,560 Speaker 1: the Thessalonians received the message of Jesus with much joy 253 00:14:40,840 --> 00:14:44,400 Speaker 1: of the Holy Spirit, so much joy actually that Paul 254 00:14:44,440 --> 00:14:47,280 Speaker 1: says in verse seven that they became an example to 255 00:14:47,560 --> 00:14:52,560 Speaker 1: all who believed in Macedonia and in Akiah for from you, 256 00:14:53,040 --> 00:14:55,840 Speaker 1: the word of the Lord has been declared, not only 257 00:14:55,880 --> 00:14:59,360 Speaker 1: in Macedonia and Ekiah, but also in every other place. 258 00:14:59,440 --> 00:15:02,600 Speaker 1: Your faith toward God has gone out, so that we 259 00:15:02,720 --> 00:15:06,720 Speaker 1: don't need to say anything Verse nine. For they themselves, 260 00:15:06,760 --> 00:15:09,920 Speaker 1: these other churches report concerning us, what kind of a 261 00:15:10,040 --> 00:15:13,160 Speaker 1: reception we had from you, and how you turned to 262 00:15:13,280 --> 00:15:17,120 Speaker 1: God from idols to serve a living and a true God, 263 00:15:17,680 --> 00:15:20,240 Speaker 1: and to wait for his son from heaven, whom he 264 00:15:20,360 --> 00:15:24,120 Speaker 1: raised from the dead, Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath, 265 00:15:24,440 --> 00:15:28,000 Speaker 1: to come. And that's the end of chapter one of 266 00:15:28,040 --> 00:15:31,960 Speaker 1: this book where Paul makes his first mention of Jesus's 267 00:15:32,320 --> 00:15:36,440 Speaker 1: second coming. Because you can imagine, you know, the disciples 268 00:15:36,520 --> 00:15:40,120 Speaker 1: probably thought Jesus was coming very quickly after he ascended 269 00:15:40,200 --> 00:15:43,320 Speaker 1: up into heaven. I am sure that they assumed that 270 00:15:43,440 --> 00:15:49,160 Speaker 1: Jesus's return was imminent. In fact, probably every single generation 271 00:15:50,280 --> 00:15:54,520 Speaker 1: from the time that Jesus ascended has believed that Jesus 272 00:15:54,640 --> 00:15:59,480 Speaker 1: is going to return in their lifetime. Even now, there 273 00:15:59,480 --> 00:16:03,520 Speaker 1: are people saying that on September I think it's twenty fifth, September, 274 00:16:03,520 --> 00:16:06,080 Speaker 1: twenty fifth, Jesus is going to return. I am sure 275 00:16:06,160 --> 00:16:08,360 Speaker 1: many of you if you have been on YouTube have 276 00:16:08,560 --> 00:16:14,040 Speaker 1: heard something about that. Everybody wants to think everybody wants 277 00:16:14,040 --> 00:16:17,600 Speaker 1: to believe that Jesus is going to return within their lifetime, 278 00:16:18,520 --> 00:16:22,440 Speaker 1: and the Thessalonians were no different. They really wanted to know, Hey, 279 00:16:22,440 --> 00:16:24,640 Speaker 1: when is Jesus coming back? You know, he hascended up 280 00:16:24,640 --> 00:16:29,280 Speaker 1: into heaven, but we've been waiting around twenty years, so 281 00:16:29,320 --> 00:16:33,560 Speaker 1: how long is he going to take? Oh, it's you know, 282 00:16:33,600 --> 00:16:36,760 Speaker 1: it's funny. It's funny because when Paul wrote this letter, 283 00:16:37,960 --> 00:16:42,560 Speaker 1: Jesus had only been in heaven for about twenty years, 284 00:16:42,600 --> 00:16:46,320 Speaker 1: and now two thousand years later, we are still waiting 285 00:16:46,680 --> 00:16:50,720 Speaker 1: for the return of Jesus, and thankfully Paul gives us 286 00:16:50,760 --> 00:16:53,000 Speaker 1: a lot of answers as to what that is going 287 00:16:53,040 --> 00:16:56,800 Speaker 1: to look like. We don't know the time when Jesus 288 00:16:56,840 --> 00:17:00,440 Speaker 1: is going to return. That is very very clear. In scripture, 289 00:17:00,520 --> 00:17:06,320 Speaker 1: Jesus himself, with his own mouth, said, nobody knows the 290 00:17:06,440 --> 00:17:09,520 Speaker 1: time that I Am going to return. Not even the 291 00:17:09,640 --> 00:17:13,280 Speaker 1: angels in heaven know about it. Only the Father is 292 00:17:13,320 --> 00:17:16,359 Speaker 1: the one who knows about it. If only God, the 293 00:17:16,400 --> 00:17:19,520 Speaker 1: Father knows when Jesus is going to return, then that 294 00:17:19,720 --> 00:17:23,400 Speaker 1: means we cannot predict when Jesus is going to return. 295 00:17:23,840 --> 00:17:28,080 Speaker 1: We have zero clue, So don't listen to any predictions 296 00:17:28,119 --> 00:17:32,040 Speaker 1: about Jesus returning because they are false and that's not 297 00:17:32,080 --> 00:17:35,200 Speaker 1: really what we are supposed to be focused on. Instead, 298 00:17:35,320 --> 00:17:38,760 Speaker 1: we are supposed to be focused on changing our own 299 00:17:39,080 --> 00:17:44,439 Speaker 1: hearts for when Jesus returns, being watchful, being ready, so 300 00:17:44,480 --> 00:17:48,040 Speaker 1: that when it does finally come, our own hearts are 301 00:17:48,080 --> 00:17:54,520 Speaker 1: going to be right with Jesus. So, like I said, 302 00:17:54,520 --> 00:17:56,720 Speaker 1: We're going to talk a lot more about Jesus's return 303 00:17:56,800 --> 00:17:59,480 Speaker 1: in the coming chapters, because it is mentioned at least 304 00:17:59,480 --> 00:18:02,679 Speaker 1: a little bit in every single chapter for Thessalonians. But 305 00:18:02,760 --> 00:18:07,040 Speaker 1: of course Paul does start every single letter with a salutation, 306 00:18:07,240 --> 00:18:10,560 Speaker 1: a greeting, and just telling the church what they are 307 00:18:10,560 --> 00:18:13,359 Speaker 1: doing well, which is what we talked about today. So 308 00:18:13,400 --> 00:18:16,080 Speaker 1: I hope you guys enjoyed the history of Thessalonians and 309 00:18:16,320 --> 00:18:19,920 Speaker 1: Thessalonika and the planting of the church there. But definitely 310 00:18:19,920 --> 00:18:22,800 Speaker 1: tune in Tuesday as we continue more into the Book 311 00:18:22,840 --> 00:18:26,159 Speaker 1: of First Thessalonians. But faithful listeners, as you know, I 312 00:18:26,200 --> 00:18:30,080 Speaker 1: don't do a normal episode on Fridays anymore. Instead, I 313 00:18:30,119 --> 00:18:33,720 Speaker 1: do a separate podcast called The Bible explained on Fridays, 314 00:18:34,000 --> 00:18:37,640 Speaker 1: which is for the members over on KOFE. If you'd 315 00:18:37,680 --> 00:18:40,960 Speaker 1: like to become a member and gain access to the 316 00:18:40,960 --> 00:18:43,040 Speaker 1: Bible explained on Fridays, which right now we are going 317 00:18:43,080 --> 00:18:46,040 Speaker 1: through the Book of Psalms and has been fantastic, then 318 00:18:46,119 --> 00:18:48,600 Speaker 1: click the link in the description that says KOFEE and 319 00:18:48,680 --> 00:18:50,760 Speaker 1: it will take you to what you need to do 320 00:18:51,040 --> 00:18:54,560 Speaker 1: next in order to become a member. Faith listeners, have 321 00:18:54,680 --> 00:18:58,840 Speaker 1: a fantastic and wonderful, wonderful rest of your day. I'll 322 00:18:58,840 --> 00:19:00,879 Speaker 1: see you guys on Monday. If I don't see you 323 00:19:00,920 --> 00:19:03,840 Speaker 1: on the member side of stuff tomorrow, but until next week, 324 00:19:04,200 --> 00:19:06,520 Speaker 1: happy listening and God bless