1 Thessalonians 5

1 Thessalonians 5(NIV)

The Day of the Lord

5 Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, 2 for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

4 But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. 5 You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. 6 So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. 9 For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. 10 He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

Final Instructions

12 Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hardamong you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. 13 Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other.14 And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 15 Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not treat prophecies with contempt 21 but test them all; hold on to what is good, 22 reject every kind of evil.

23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.

25 Brothers and sisters, pray for us. 26 Greet all God’s people with a holy kiss. 27 I charge you before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers and sisters.

28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Observation Questions

The Day of the Lord

Do Paul, Silas, or Timothy feel the need to write about times or dates? (verse 1) (Referring to 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18)

How will the day of the Lord come? (verse 2)

When will destruction come upon people? (verse 3)

Will they escape? (verse 3)

Should this day surprise us? (verse 4)

Who are we children of? (verse 4)

We do not belong to the ______ or to the __________ (verse 5)

Are we to be different from the others, who are asleep? (verse 6)

When do those who sleep, sleep? (verse 7)

When do those who get drunk, get drunk? (verse 7)

How are we to be sober? (verse 8)

Why did God appoint us? (verse 9)

Why did Jesus Christ die for us? (verse 10)

What are we to do since Jesus Christ has died for us? (verse 11)

Final Instructions

Who are we to acknowledge among us? (verse 12)

Who are we to hold in the highest regard in love? (verse 12-13)

How are we to leave in respect to one another? (verse 13)

Who are we to warn? (verse 14)

Who are we to encourage? (verse 14)

Are we to help the weak? (verse 14)

Are we to be patient with everyone? (verse 14)

Should we let anyone pay back wrong for wrong? (verse 15)

What should we always strive to do? (verse 15)

What are we to do always? (verse 16-18)
What are we not to quench? (verse 19)
Should we not treat prophecies with contempt? (verse 20)
What are we to test? (verse 20-21)
What are we to hold on to? (verse 21)
What are we to reject? (verse 22)
Who sanctifies us? (verse 23)
Who is faithful to keep our spirit, soul and body blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ? (verse 23-24)

Interpretation

What does in mean to be children of the light?

What does it mean to be children of the day?

What would belonging to the night look like?

What would belonging to the darkness look like?

What does the phrase "let us be awake and sober" suggest?

Is being awake and sober a choice?

What is our armor? (verse 8 & Ephesians 5)

Thoughts

So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIgLk7ZwYHc

"Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night." - verse 1-2

If Timothy, who was personally mentored by Paul, whose grandmother and mother were noted for their piety and faith(2 Timothy 1:5), who forsake his country, his house, his parents- for the sake of the gospel, who governed a church at Ephesus, who Paul said about him "I have no one like him" (2 Philippians 2:19-23), who was jailed for the gospel, and who is reported to have died attempting to stop a procession in honor of an idol by preaching the gospel- If this same Timothy didn't feel the need to write about times or dates because the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night, why would we concern ourselves with trying to figure it out? Or why would we listen to anyone's opinion on the matter?

If Silas, who God released from prison with an earthquake, didn't feel it necessary to write about such things, why should we concern ourselves with them? What was Silas concerned with when his prison chains were broken? 

If Paul, who was a slave of the Lord Jesus Christ, didn't see the need to write about such things, should we listen to anyone about the matter who isn't Christ's slave?

What is important is this -

"While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape."

Should this day surprise us?

"But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief."

If it was today? Why or why not?

"But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief."

Ephesians 5 

  Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children  and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people.  Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.  For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.[a] Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them.

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. This is why it is said:

“Wake up, sleeper,
    rise from the dead,
    and Christ will shine on you.”

Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Instructions for Christian Households

 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.

 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing[b] her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— for we are members of his body. “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”[c] This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

Footnotes:

1. Ephesians 5:5 Or kingdom of the Messiah and God
2. Ephesians 5:26 Or having cleansed
3. Ephesians 5:31 Gen. 2:24

"If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing." - from 1 Corinthians 13

But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. - 1 Thessalonians 5, verse 8

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. - 1 Corinthians 13:13

For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. - verse 9-11

Application

acknowledge those who work hard among you

acknowledge those who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you

warn those who are idle and disruptive (within our Christian family)

encourage the disheartened

help the weak

be patient with everyone

Rejoice always

pray continually

give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Do not quench the Spirit. 

Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good,

 reject every kind of evil.

Pray this for your family-

May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

If acceptable-

Greet... with a holy kiss.