Scripture: I Thessalonians 5:1-24

Aim: To teach the believer some of the Lord’s basic lessons in Christian living.

Golden Text: “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (I Thessalonians 5:23).

This chapter gives us several blessed truths, which should encourage each believer to faithfully press forward in the service of the Master.

I. The Lord Jesus Christ is going to come again into this world in order to receive His people unto Himself (I Thessalonians 5:1-4). The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night (vs. 1-2). This indicates that He will come at a time when men are not looking for Him. He will come when men least expect Him to come.

The men and women of the world continue to live theirs lives without God and Christ. They cry “peace and safety” when they are under the wrath of God Himself (vs. 3). Destruction is going to come upon them as a woman having a baby. They will not escape (vs. 3).

For the unconverted the day will be a day of darkness and sorrow. It will be like a thief coming in the middle of the night and carrying all valuables away (vs. 4) while all were asleep.

II. Children of light, of God, are warned not to be asleep, but to watch for the coming of the Lord (I Thessalonians 5:5-8). The believer is admonished to be serious-minded (sober) and to be a faithful watcher for the return of the Lord (vs. 6-7).

The believer is admonished to (first) be sober-minded (serious-minded), (second) to put on the breastplate of faith, (third) to put on the breastplate of love, (fourth) to put on the helmet of the hope of salvation (vs. 8).

III. Christ has appointed all those of verse eight above to receive salvation from sin (I Thessalonians 5:9-11). Not appointed to wrath, but appointed to eternal salvation in Jesus Christ (vs. 9). Christ has died for each true believer and expects that the believer will live for Him (vs. 10). This becomes the means of a holy comfort and building up in the Christian’s faith so that he and others are blessed greatly (vs. 11).

IV. The Christian’s behavior becomes very important (I Thessalonians 5:12-22). We are to know those who work among us and admonish us (vs. 12). We are to esteem them very highly in love for the work in which they are engaged for the Lord (vs. 13). We are to live at peace with each other by faithfully exhorting, warning the unruly, comforting the feeble-minded, supporting the weak and being patient toward all men (vs. 14).

We are to follow that which is good for all men (vs. 15). A list is given: Rejoice evermore; pray without ceasing; in every thing give thanks; quench not the Holy Spirit; despise not prophecies; prove all things; hold fast to that which is good; and abstain from the very appearance of evil and evil things (vs. 16-22).

Paul prayed that God would set them apart for Himself, give them peace, keep them body and soul in a blameless manner until the coming of Jesus Christ (vs. 23). Paul ends by saying, “Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.” The believer can be confident that the Lord will take care of each and every one who belongs to Him.