1 THESSALONIANS 5:5, 8, 11
5For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness… 8But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation… 11Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
One of the primary themes of 1 Thessalonians is Christ’s second coming. Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy address the concerns and questions of the Thessalonian believers directly (1 Thessalonians 4:13–5:10). As believers, Christ’s glorious return and the resurrection of the dead are truths we hold on to with faith and hope. These truths should affect how we live every day. While we don’t know when these will specifically happen, the letter reminds us of who we are in Christ and the disposition we must take: We are to wait patiently and be sober-minded, continually building one another up in the faith. In this lesson, we will look at some of the final instructions these leaders gave to the church in Thessalonica.
APPLICATION
• Jesus Christ will return gloriously one day for His Church. How should this truth affect the way you live?
• Why is it important for believers to admonish one another? In what way is this difficult for you, and how can you apply this in your life today?
• Think of a family member or friend who could use encouragement and prayer. What can you do for him or her this week?