
1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11
Introduction
Timothy returned from visiting Thessalonica with a list of questions about which the believers there were concerned. Apparently, one of these concerns had to do with Christians who died before Christ returned. Before His death, Jesus had promised to come back to earth at some point to take His followers with Him to His Father (John 14:3). Paul had probably told the Thessalonians of this promise. Jesus had deliberately refused to give any indication of when He was coming back (John 21:22; Acts 1:7), but for many years His disciples assumed He would come within their lifetimes. The Thessalonians evidently assumed that Christ’s promise of “eternal life” meant none of them would die before the Lord’s return. But to their shock and dismay, some of them did die shortly after Paul left them. Whether they died of natural causes or as a result of persecution we don’t know, but the deaths disturbed the Thessalonians enough that they asked Timothy to get an explanation from Paul. Would these departed believers miss out on the grand event when Christ returned for His people? Would death rob them of participating?
Vs. 13 sets the theme for the entire passage. Paraphrase this vs. in your own words.
Jesus wept when His friend Lazarus died, even though He was about to restore Lazarus’ life (John 11:32-36). Still, how does a Christian’s grief at a loved one’s death differ from the grief others might suffer?
Paul indicates that when a Christian dies, his body “sleeps” until Christ returns to earth. This raises the question: Where does the Christian’s spirit go when this happens? Read 2 Cor. 5:8 and Phil. 1:23-24, and summarize your findings.
What is Paul’s basis of assurance that departed believers are now with the Lord and will come back with Him when He returns (1 Thes. 4:14)?
What does Paul mean when he says that those Christians who are alive when Christ comes will not “precede” those who have died (4:15-18)?
What three sounds will initiate the Rapture, and what do you think is the significance of each (4:16)? What is the first thing that happens after these sounds (4:16)? What is the second thing that happens after these sounds (4:17)?
What do you learn about the nature of a resurrected body from 1 Cor. 15:35-55? What do you think a “spiritual body” (1 Cor. 15:44) is like? How would it differ from, say a disembodied spirit or a body like those we have now?
Paul did not write about the Rapture in order to give a prophetic time line. What was his purpose according to 1 Thes. 4:18?
Even though Paul had already told the Thessalonians that Jesus would come at an unexpected time, like “a thief in the night,” they still evidently wanted to know when it would happen. Why do you suppose people desire so strongly to forecast a date for Christ’s return? What does Jesus say in Matthew 24:36 about forecasting dates for His return?
Even though we don’t know when the day of the Lord will come, why won’t it overtake Christians as a surprise?
The verbs “encourage” and “build up” (5:11) are in a tense that indicate a continuous, habitual action. These are to be done perpetually. Why would Paul consider continual encouragement and upbuilding so important to the spiritual growth and survival of the Thessalonians?