May 18, 2022
Unwavering Zeal
1 Thessalonians 5
Karissa VanCleave
Central Truth
With Jesus, you are able to be light in this dark world, clinging to the hope of the gospel.
Key Verse | 1 Thessalonians 5:9
For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Thessalonians 5
The Day of the Lord
1 Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, 1 5:1 Or brothers and sisters; also verses 4, 12, 14, 25, 26, 27 you have no need to have anything written to you. 2 For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. 4 But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. 5 For you are all children 2 5:5 Or sons; twice in this verse of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. 6 So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. 8 But 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. 9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
Final Instructions and Benediction
12 We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, 13 and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. 14 And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, 3 5:14 Or disorderly, or undisciplined encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. 15 See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies, 21 but test everything; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil.
23 Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.
25 Brothers, pray for us.
26 Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss.
27 I put you under oath before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers.
28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
Listen to the Podcast
Listen NowDive Deeper | 1 Thessalonians 5
My 5-year-old niece Kinsley has unmatched zeal. Whether it be a new toy she wants me to see, or an airplane in the sky that she doesn't want me to miss, there is an evident urgency and passion in her. She, and other kids as well, will say things like, "You don't want to miss this," or "you've gotta see this." But as we know, later on she'll get distracted or bored. The new toy won't be as shiny, and the airplane in the sky won't be as eventful. We see this in every child, but we also see it in ourselves.
Paul's letter to the Thessalonians is of similar zeal and urgency, but it isn't centered around worldly, passing things that so often consume us. Instead, it's a fixated passion on everlasting hope.
Jesus Christ came to this earth to live a perfect life, destined to die on a cross as the ultimate sacrifice, atoning for all of mankind's sins, and offering a way for imperfect people to have a relationship with a perfect God. If we accept and enter into this abiding relationship with God, then we have assurance of salvation and eternal life with our creator! We look forward to the day when He will return to restore this world and have a full relationship with His children.
Paul literally urges believers to stay awake and alert, clinging to the hope of the gospel. First Thessalonians 5:4 reminds us that we should not be surprised when "that day" comes. Instead, we should be expectant, standing united as believers, encouraging one another, clothed with faith, love, and hope (1 Thessalonians 5:8). Paul then ends the letter with rich truth on what it practically looks like to live as a light in the darkness.
We need to walk in the light in sharp contrast to this dark world, consistently awake to the Truth. I pray that, as believers should and like children do, we would tell everyone who will listen, "Look at this, you don't want to miss it!," pointing to the hope of the gospel with unwavering urgency.
Discussion Questions
1. What are you passionate about? What would it look like for you to be passionate about the gospel?
2. What are practical ways that you can follow Paul's instruction to "admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all"?
3. Who are people you know that, through Jesus, are a light to the hope of the gospel in this world? Reach out to them today and encourage them as Paul tells us to do in 1 Thessalonians 5:11.