Bible Studies
Resurrection, Believers Will Live (1 Thess. 1:9-10)
Series: ResurrectionIntroduction:
1. The resurrection is a prominent theme in the writings of the apostle Paul. 2. In the first letter to the Thessalonians it is especially prominent.a. In chapter one he says “the living God raised Jesus from the dead.” He connects that with our being rescued from the wrath to come (9-10).
b. In chapter four he says that those who believe that Jesus died and rose again will be raised (13-17).
c. And in chapter five he assures us that whether we are dead or alive when the Lord returns that we will live with Him (10).
3. For Paul, preaching the resurrection gives people hope for the future and direction in how to live in this present life. 4. Read with me from 1 Thess. 1:9-10.Discussion:
I. The living God has acted to raise Jesus from the dead and to rescue us from the wrath to come (1 Thess. 1:9-10).A. The Thessalonians had “turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God.”
1. Their conversion is described in Acts 17:1ff.
a. Paul and Silas had gone into the synagogue there and reasoned with them for three Sabbaths.
b. They reasoned from the Scriptures “explaining and giving evidence that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead.” (Note the association of their preaching Christ’s resurrection and their hearer’s assessment that they preached Jesus as king. See Acts 17:3, 7. Already in this series we have addressed the association of the resurrection and Jesus’ coronation as king.)
c. They persuaded some that Jesus was indeed the Messiah. Evidently a few Jews were persuaded. Along with them “a large number of the God-fearing Greeks and a number of the leading women.”
2. There was a turning from idols to serve a living God. Cf. Isa. 41:21-24.
a. One of the unique features of N.T. evangelism is that there must be a radical change from idols to the living God.
b. The religion of the day usually involved merely integrating the new god into one’s religious thought without denying any of the old ones.
c. At least some of the original converts were of Jewish background, but if there was idolatry the idols had to be given up to serve the living God. N. T. evangelism is a radical thing. It does not integrate into an already existing religious system.
d. It is a problem today when we try to adapt Christianity to make it compatible with a religiously diverse culture. Christianity is counter-cultural. Radical. Not conforming but transforming.
B. The living God raised Jesus from the dead. (Already discussed elsewhere in this series.) The resurrection of Jesus proves God’s activity.
C. God acted through Jesus to rescue us from the wrath to come.
1. There was wrath to be rescued from.
2. The wrath was the wrath of God (Rom. 5:9).
a. Too often we conclude that God’s wrath against sin is like our wrath, capricious and self-centered, flying off the handle in a temper tantrum.
b. God’s wrath however is not like that. It the natural result of his justice.
3. His wrath is against sin.
a. In some ways it is similar to what we experience. When someone seeks to kill, maim or destroy the innocent we are angered.
b. And rightly so.
c. Rom. 6:23 says, “The wages of sin is death.”
4. God rescues from the wrath to come (see 2 Thess. 1:6-9).
a. This is described as the “second death” (Rev. 21:8).
b. The mechanism that God has used to rescue us is the cross, where Jesus paid the penalty of death so that we might live (Matt. 20:28). Cf. Rev. 20:14-15.
II. If we believe that Jesus died and rose again then those who are asleep in Jesus will be raised (1 Thess. 4:13-17).A. Note that this passage makes our belief in the resurrection of those who have died dependent on our belief that Jesus died and rose again.
B. If you do not believe in the resurrection of Jesus you have no basis for belief in the resurrection of others.
C. Thus, Jesus’ resurrection in particular is critical to the belief in resurrection generally. Note 1 Cor. 15:18.
D. Paul says that what he is saying is “by the word of the Lord.”
1. It is the word of the Lord that says the dead in Christ will rise.
2. They will arise before those who are still alive are caught up together with them to meet the Lord.
3. We do not have to worry about those who have already died when the Lord returns. They will not be forgotten. If we have already died when the Lord returns, no worries!! We will not be forgotten, but raised.
III. Whether we are awake or asleep (i.e., alive or dead) we will live together with Him (1 Thess. 5:10).A. Three observations . . .
1. Christ lives.
2. We will live.
3. We will live.
B. This is personal.
1. Do you understand how phenomenal this is?
2. When Christ returns if you are already dead you will live with Him. If you are still alive you will live with Him.
3. What an experience this will be!!!
Conclusion:
1. What does all this mean? How am I changed by it? How does it affect me in the here and now? 2. The answer is given in 1 Thess. 5:1-9. 3. Knowing what the future holds…knowing the coming of the Lord…knowing the resurrection…we prepare by being on the alert and being sober. 4. We have put on the breastplate of faith and love, and the helmet of hope. 5. We are not destined for wrath, but for salvation through the death of Jesus Christ. 6. Therefore we encourage one another and are comforted by the life that we have through Jesus Christ.
