1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 (NASB)

23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.

Theme: God promises true believers that He will keep and sanctify us completely, all the way to the end until we are with the Lord.

Outline:
1) The Bold and Beautiful Benediction (v. 23)
2) The Faithful Finisher (v. 24)

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1 Thessalonians 5:19-22 (NASB)

19 Do not quench the Spirit; 20 do not despise prophetic utterances. 21 But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; 22 abstain from every form of evil.

Outline:
1) Don’t stifle the Holy Spirit’s work and words (vv. 19-20)
    – By not being in the Word
    – By being disobedient to the Word
    – By not dealing with our sins
    – By relying on our routine and ritual rather than the Holy Spirit Himself
    – By despising prophetic utterances
2) Be discerning about what you hear and act on it (vv. 21-22)
    – Compare to other Scriptures
    – Look at the character of the messenger

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1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NASB)

16 Rejoice evermore. 17 Pray without ceasing. 18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

Theme: Three practices which God commands Christians in the Church to continuously carry out together.

Outline:

1) Always Rejoice (v. 5:16)
2) Continually pray (v. 5:17)
3) In Everything give thanks (v. 5:38

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1 Thessalonians 5:12-15 (NASB)

12 But we ask you, brothers and sisters, to recognize those who diligently labor among you and are in leadership over you in the Lord, and give you instruction, 13 and that you regard them very highly in love because of their work. Live in peace with one another. 14 We urge you, brothers and sisters, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 15 See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek what is good for one another and for all people.

Instructions for how the Church should treat its leaders and each other based on the promises of the Gospel

1) Proper attitude towards leaders (5:12-13a)

2) Proper behavior within the church body (5:13b-15)

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1 Thessalonians 5:12-15 (NASB)

12 But we ask you, brothers and sisters, to recognize those who diligently labor among you and are in leadership over you in the Lord, and give you instruction, 13 and that you regard them very highly in love because of their work. Live in peace with one another. 14 We urge you, brothers and sisters, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 15 See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek what is good for one another and for all people.

Instructions for how the Church should treat its leaders and each other based on the promises of the Gospel

1) Proper attitude towards leaders (5:12-13a)

2) Proper behavior within the church body (5:13b-15)

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Revelation 21:1-4 (NASB)

21 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among the people, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, 4 and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”

John 14:1-4 (NASB)

1 “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many rooms; if that were not so, I would have told you, because I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I am coming again and will take you to Myself, so that where I am, there you also will be. 4 And you know the way where I am going.”

Psalm 16:11 (NASB)

11 You will make known to me the way of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.

Isaiah 25:6-9 (NASB)

6 Now the Lord of armies will prepare a lavish banquet for all peoples on this mountain;
A banquet of aged wine, choice pieces with marrow,
And refined, aged wine.
7 And on this mountain He will destroy the covering which is over all peoples,
The veil which is stretched over all nations.
8 He will swallow up death for all time,
And the Lord God will wipe tears away from all faces,
And He will remove the disgrace of His people from all the earth;
For the Lord has spoken.
9 And it will be said on that day,
“Behold, this is our God for whom we have waited that He might save us.
This is the Lord for whom we have waited;
Let’s rejoice and be glad in His salvation.”

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2 Peter 3:10-11 (NASB)

10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be discovered.

11 Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness,

Revelation 21:1-4 (NASB)

21 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among the people, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, 4 and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”

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1 Thessalonians 5:9-11) NASB

9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing.

Theme: Remembering the eternal life-saving, life-giving power of the Gospel motivates believers to live worthily for Christ in this fallen world.

Outline:

1) The nature of salvation
2) The mediator of salvation
3) The goal of salvation

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1 Thessalonians 5:4-8 (NASB)

4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief; 5 for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; 6 so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober. 7 For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night. 8 But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation.

Theme: As sons of light, we as Christians are commanded to be ever attentive and aware in our spiritual battle against sin’s darkness, anticipating our Lord’s return.

Outline:

1) Contrasts between believers and unbelievers.
    a) Light vs. darkness
    b) Day vs. night
    c) Alert vs. asleep
    d) Sober vs. drunk
2) Commands for believers

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1 Thessalonians 5:1-3 (NASB)

1 Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you. 2 For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. 3 While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape.

An Overview of Eschatology
The Timing of the Rapture

Seven Features of the Day of the Lord:
1) The Day of the Lord arrives uninvited and unannounced.
2) The Day of the Lord arrives unexpectedly.
3) The Day of the Lord arrives rapidly.
4) The Day of the Lord comes destructively.
5) The Day of the Lord arrives inevitably.
6) The Day of the Lord is irreversible.
7) The Day of the Lord’s outcome is inescapable.

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