Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you…. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation (ethnos) will rise against nation (ethnos), and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.
– Matthew 24:3-8 (NASB)
“For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. …were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, … “Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. “Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left.
– Matthew 24:37-41 (NASB)
Each Chapter Points to Jesus’ Return (1:10, 2:19, 3:13, 4:17)
Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up (rapiemur: Lat. Vulgate) together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. – 1 Thessalonians 4:17
Therefore… (v.11)
Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and not a few prominent women.
– Acts 17:4
… you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God,
– 1 Thessalonians 1:9 (NIV)
The church is a (vv.12,14, 25, 26, 27)
…we proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother
– 1 Thessalonians 2:7 (NASB)
…exhorting and encouraging…each one of you as a father
– 1 Thessalonians 2:11 (NASB)
I. How to Treat the Pastors (vv.12-13)
Context:
severe suffering (NIV) much tribulation (NASB) 1 Thessalonians1:6
…you also endured the same sufferings – 1 Thess 2:14 (NASB)
II. How to Treat Each Other (vv.14-15)
1. Lovingly have the conversation with the spiritually
unruly: ataktos – disorderly (Thayer’s) idle (NIV) lazy (CJB)
disorderly (YLT)
warn, admonish: noutheteo – to caution or reprove gently (Strong’s)
2. Encourage the fainthearted struggling with
oligopsuchos: “small-souled” (oligos: “small” – psuche: “the soul”)
3. Help the weak: Meet
weak: asthenes – strengthless (in various applications, literal, figurative and moral)
more feeble (KJV) sick, without strength (Strong’s)
unable to achieve anything great (Thayer’s)
(v.15) “One another” is the church
“All people” are those the church