Lesson 12
CHAPTER TWELVE
I AND II THESSALONIANS
OBJECTIVES:
Upon completion of this chapter you will be able to:
C Name the author of the books of I and II Thessalonians.
C Identify to whom the books were written.
C State the purposes for I and II Thessalonians.
C Write the Key Verses of the books of I and II Thessalonians from memory.
C State the Life and Ministry Principles for the books.
I THESSALONIANS
INTRODUCTION
AUTHOR: Paul
TO WHOM: Believers at Thessalonica
PURPOSE: To confirm that the Lord is coming back: To commend and exhort for the faith and correct false doctrine . Paul also answers false charges against his ministry.
KEY VERSES: 4:16-18
LIFE AND MINISTRY PRINCIPLE: Comfort should focus on the glorious hope of the return of Jesus Christ.
MAIN CHARACTERS: Paul, Silvanus, Timotheus
OUTLINE
I. Introduction : 1:1
A. From: Paul, Silvanus, and Timotheus.
B. To: Believers at Thessalonica.
C. Grace and peace from God and Jesus: 1 :1
II. Looking back: 1:2-3:13
A. Exemplary conversion to Christ: 1:2-10
1. Power of the Gospel: 1:2-5
2. Examples of the Gospel: 1:5-6
a. The believers at Thessalonica followed the example of Paul: 1:5-
6
b. They became examples to other believers: 1 :7
3. Witnesses of the Gospel: 1:8-10
a. The faith of the Thessalonian believers was spread in every place:
1:8
b. Their testimony was witness to the truth of the Gospel: 1:9-10
B. Exemplary evangelism: 2:1-20
1. In motive: 2:1 -6
a. Not in vanity : 2:1
b. In boldness: 2:2
c. Not in deceit, uncleanness, or guile: 2:3
d. To please God rather than men: 2:4
e. Without flattering words: 2 :5
f. Without covetousness : 2:5
g. Not to seek glory of men: 2:6
2. In conduct: 2:7-11
a. Gentleness : 2:7
b. Dealing as a nurse with children : 2:7
c. In affection: 2 :8
d. In labor and travail: 2 :9
e. With proper behavior: 2:10
f. As a father with children: 2:11
3. In message: 2:12-13
a. That you walk worthy of God: 2:12
b. It was based on the Word of God: 2:13
4. In reception: 2:13-16
a. The nature of their reception of the Word: 2:13
b. The result of their reception of the Word: 2:14-16
(l) They became imitators of the Judean churches: 2:14
(2) They entered the fellowship of suffering for the Word:
2: 14-16
C. Exemplary follow up care of converts: 3:1-13
1. Their concern: 3:1-5
a. Their motive: 3:1
b. The sending of Timothy : 3:2
c. Description of the one sent: 3:2
(1) Our brother.
(2) Minister.
(3) Fellow -laborer in the Gospel.
d. The purpose in sending Timothy: 3:2-4
(1) To establish you : 3:2
(2) To comfort you: 3:2
(3) To encourage stability despite afflictions: 3:3-4
(4) To guard from the tempter: 3:5
(5) To protect their labor: 3:5
2. The follow up process: 3:6-8
a. The contents of Timothy’s report: 3:6
b. The reaction to Timothy’s report: 3:7-10
(1) Comfort and encouragement: 3:7-8
(2) Thanksgiving and prayer: 3:9-13
III. Looking ahead: Conduct in light of the return of the Lord: 4:1-5:24
A. God-pleasing conduct: 4:1-2
B. Sanctification: 4:3-8
1. The basis for sanctification: It is God’s will: 4:3
2. The application of sanctification: 4:3-8
a. To abstain from fornication: 4:3-5
b. To abstain from defrauding a brother: 4:6
C. Reasons for proper conduct: 4:6-8
1. Sin brings God’s vengeance: 4 :6
2. Proper conduct is in accord with the call of God: 4:7
3. Rejection of proper conduct is rejection of God: 4:8
D. Brotherly love: 4:9-10
1. Commendation of their love : 4:9
2. Exhortation to further love: 4:10
E. Exhortations to be industrious: 4:11-12
1. Study to be quiet: 4:11
2. Do your own business: 4:11
3. Work with your own hands: 4:11
4. Walk honestly toward unbelievers: 4:12
F. Instructions concerning the dead in Christ: 4:12-18
1. The need for proper instruction: 4:12-13
2. The relation of the dead to the returning Christ: 4:14-15
a. The dead in Christ will be brought with Him: 4:14
b. The living will not precede the dead in Christ: 4:15
3. The manner and results of Christ’s coming: 4:16-17
a. The manner of His coming: 4:16
b. The results of His coming: 4:16-17
(1) The dead raised first: 4:16
(2) The living caught up: 4:17
(3) Believers forever with the Lord: 4:17
4. The comfort in these words to be utilized by believers: 4:18
G. Watchfulness in view of the Lord’s coming: 5:1-11
1. Uncertainty in the time of His coming : 5:1-2
a. Their lack of need for instruction: 5 :1
b. Their knowledge concerning the manner of His coming : 5:2
2. The result of this uncertainty for those who are unprepared: 5:3
3. The effect of this uncertainty upon believers: 5:4-11
a. Be prepared: 5:4
b. Walk in the light: 5:5
c. Do not sleep spiritually : 5:6
d. Watch: 5:6
e. Be sober: 5:6-8
f. Put on the breastplate of faith and love: 5 :8
4. The assurance of the believer: 5:9-11
a. Appointed to salvation, not to wrath: 5:9-10
b. Comfort and edification because of this hope: 5:11
H. Church relationships: 5:12-15
1. Know those who labor among you and are over you: 5:12
2. Esteem them highly because of their labor on behalf of you: 5:13
3. Warn the unruly: 5:14
4. Comfort the feebleminded: 5:14
5. Support the weak: 5:14
6. Be patient towards all: 5:14
7. Do not return evil for evil: 5:15
8. Follow that which is good: 5:15
I. Personal conduct: 5:16-22
1. Rejoice evermore: 5:16
2. Pray without ceasing: 5:17
3. In every thing give thanks: 5:18
4. Quench not the Spirit: 5:19
5. Despise not prophesying: 5:20
6. Prove all things: 5:21
7. Hold fast that which is good: 5:21
8. Abstain from the appearance of evil: 5:22
IV. Conclusion: 5:23-28
A. A blessing upon them: 5:23-24
B. Request for prayer: 5:25
C. Greetings: 5:26
D. The charge: 5:27
E. The wish for grace of the Lord: 5:28
II THESSALONIANS
INTRODUCTION
AUTHOR: Paul
TO WHOM: Church at Thessalonica
PURPOSE: To instruct believers waiting for the return of the Lord. KEY VERSE: 2:3
LIFE AND MINISTRY PRINCIPLE: Since there will be a great falling away before the day of the Lord, it is important to teach and live by sound doctrine.
MAIN CHARACTERS: Paul, Silvanus, and Timotheus
OUTLINE
I. Introduction: 1:1-2
A. From Paul, Silvanus, and Timotheus: 1:1
B. To the church of the Thessalonians: 1:1
C. Grace and peace from God and Jesus: 1 :2
II. Comfort in the hope of Christ’s return: 1:3-12
A. Thanksgiving for their Christian example: 1:3-4
1. The reasons for the thanksgiving: 1:3
a. Their faith groweth exceedingly: 1:3
b. They have charity towards each other: 1:3
2. The effect of their conduct upon the writers: 1:4
B. Comfort in the righteous judgment of God: 1:5-10
1. The indication of God’s righteous judgment: 1:5
2. The revelation of God’s righteous judgment: 1:6-8
a. The outcome of His judgment: 1:6-7
(1) God sends tribulation to them that trouble : 1:6
(2) Those who are troubled will find rest when the Lord
returns: 1:7
b. The time of the judgment: When the Lord is revealed from
Heaven with His angels : 1:7
c. The subjects of the judgment: 1:8
(1) Those that know not God.
(2) Those that obey not the Gospel of the Lord Jesus.
3. The consequences of God’s righteous judgment: 1:9-10
a. Eternal punishment of the lost: 1:9
b. Glorification of the saints : 1 :1 0
C. Prayer for the believers: 1:11-12
1. The content of the prayer: 1:11
a. That God would count you worthy of this calling: 1:11
b. That God will fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness: 1:11
c. That God will fulfill the work of faith with power: 1:11
2. The purpose of the prayer: That the name of Jesus may be glorified in
you and you in Him: 1:12
III. Caution regarding the time of Christ’s return: 2:1-17
A. Paul’s concern : 2:1-2
l. His concern is about the coming of the day of the Lord: 2:1
2. Attitudes prohibited: 2 :2
a. Being shaken in mind.
b. Being troubled in spirit, word, or letter.
c. Believing that it has already happened.
B. Signs of the end: 2:3-12
1. A great falling away: 2:3
2. The man of sin (antichrist) is revealed : 2:3-6
a. He opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God:
2:4
b. He will sit as God in the temple: 2:4
c. He will claim to be God: 2 :4
d. He will be revealed in his time : 2:5-6
3. He already is at work in the world, but will not be revealed until the
Holy Spirit is removed: 2:7-8
4. His destiny: 2 :8
a. The Lord will consume him with the spirit of His mouth : 2:8
b. The Lord will destroy him with the brightness of His coming: 2:8
5. Signs by which to recognize the antichrist: 2:9-12
a. He will come after the working of Satan: 2:9
b. He will have power, signs , and lying wonders: 2:9
c. He will deceive with unrighteousness them that perish because
they received not the truth unto salvation: 2:10
d. He will cause strong delusions: 2:11
e. He will bring to damnation those who: 2:12
(1) Believed not the truth.
(2) Had pleasure in unrighteousness.
C. A prayer for the Thessalonian believers: 2:13-17
1. Thanksgiving because of God’s choice of them: 2:13-14
a. He chose them to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit
and belief of the truth: 2:13
b. He called them by the Gospel to the obtaining of the glory of
Jesus: 2: 14
2. Exhortation to steadfastness : Hold fast that which you have been taught:
2: 15
3. A prayer for their comfort and stability: 2:16-17
a. The ones to whom the prayer is directed: 2:16
b. Contents of the prayer: 2:17
(1) Comfort you.
(2) Stablish you in every good word and work.
IV. Commands in the light of Christ’s return: 3:1-15
A. A command to pray: 3:1-2
1. For liberty to spread the Gospel: 3:1
2. For safety of the messengers: 3:2
a. From unreasonable men.
b. From wicked men.
c. From all who do not have the faith.
B. A command to grow spiritually: 3:3-5
1. Be established in the Lord: 3:3
2. Be kept from evil in the Lord: 3 :3
3. Do the things commanded: 3 :4
4. Direct your hearts into the love of God : 3:5
5. Wait patiently for the return of Christ: 3:5
C. Commands regarding conduct and relationships: 3:6-12
1. Withdraw from those who walk disorderly and not according to the
Word: 3:6
2. Follow right examples of spiritual leadership: 3:7-10
3. Each believer is to be productive: 3:10-12
4. Do not be weary in well-doing: 3:13
5. Have no company with those who do not obey the Word: 3:14
6. Do not count the disorderly as enemies, but admonish them as brothers:
3: 15
V. Conclusion: 3:16-18
A. The supplication: 3:16
l. The Lord give you peace.
2. The Lord be with you all.
B. The authentication: Signature by the hand of Paul: 1:17
C. The benediction: 1:18