Proper 27: Epistle, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18                        

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Paul loved the church at Thessalonica. Now, he loved all the believers wherever he labored. But you can pick up on a special affinity for these dear saints if you read carefully. In his greetings, in his instruction and tender correction, and in his closings. Thessalonica, first tagged as not housing those as noble as the Berean “inquirers” in Acts 17:10ff, had grown into a fiery and loving people whose faith was spoken of throughout the Mediterranean world. But wherever truth is taught and attempts are made to live by it, opposition comes. Sometimes that opposition is physical with rocks, whips and the jaws of lions. But sometimes the opposition is a bit more subtle. And Satan will destroy with false teaching just as readily as with flogging.

Some folks had crept into the congregations of Thessalonica and were serving up a meal of teaching which included falsities regarding the coming of the Lord and our gathering to Him. Teaching had surfaced which was meant to convince the young congregations that they had somehow missed the promised return of the Savior. Just a side note: it is fascinating and convicting that within the earliest teaching of the apostles was the truth that Jesus was coming again. They had heard the message from their Master and they obviously included this precious truth as they spread the faith. Perhaps we don’t love that truth enough.

Forward now to the realization that Paul taught here, in a chapter many use to promulgate a secret catching away of the church, that the return of Jesus will be anything but secret. In other words, to counter their worry that the event had come and gone, the truth would set them free. The historic teaching of the church is, and has always been, that Jesus will return once, with pomp and great glory to be adored by His own and with judgment for those who reject Him. Paul will continue in the letter to assure his readers that they most certainly had not missed this glorious day, but that it should affect and flavor all the days the Lord would grant them. That is also true of us. Do we treasure the Lord’s appearing as we should? I pray so. And if at that point we lag behind a bit, I pray God to bring us up to speed.

Come quickly, Lord Jesus!