Articles

We are nearing the end of our sermon series on 1 Thessalonians where Paul, and his cowriters Silas and Timothy, offer helpful instructions to the young church in Thessalonica on aspects of a believer’s life. We, like the Thessalonians, live in a time of "now and not yet" (ie. the time between Jesus’ death and resurrection and his return to judge the world), so these characteristics of a Christian’s walk belong to us as well. In 1 Thessalonians the traits of a believer’s life could be summarised into 3 categories: waiting, suffering and death, and resurrection.

Waiting

The Bible records numerous verses and narratives that encourage us to wait for the Lord. Psalm 27:14, “Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” Lamentations 3:25, “The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him” and Galatians 5:5, “For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness.”

In Mark Vroegop’s book Waiting Isn’t a Waste, he argues that waiting isn’t just an aspect of a believer’s life, but rather, a part of a Christian’s identity that we need to embrace: “Waiting is not just what Christians do. It’s who we are – an essential identity marker of what it means to be a follower of Jesus.”[1]

In 1 Thess. 1:9-10, Paul reminds his readers that they are waiting for Christ’s return: “They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.” The behavioural instructions that follow in the letter outline what this waiting ought to look like. Here, waiting is assumed and part of their identity as believers in Christ. In our modern day, we identify with this as we wait on the Lord for his work in our lives and ultimately for our Saviour’s return. Alongside the assumption of waiting, is the expectation of suffering.

Suffering

As we wait for “the day of the Lord”, challenges, trials and affliction will feature in our lives, just as it did for members of the Thessalonian church. The Bible isn’t silent about the inevitability of suffering and nor was Christ, as John 15:19-20 states – “If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.”

Paul was a prime example of this persecution. The Thessalonians received the good news about Jesus because of Paul’s suffering in Philippi (1 Thess. 2:2). He was then persecuted for his preaching to the Thessalonians and fled to Athens (1 Thess. 3:1, 4) and the Thessalonians themselves were persecuted at the hands of their own countrymen (1 Thess. 2:14).

We therefore ought not to be surprised when hardship enters our lives. As Matthew Jensen explains “Suffering and persecution is the life that believers should expect. The Thessalonians suffered, the churches in Judea suffered, Jesus and the prophets were killed…If it happened to them – especially if it happened to the Lord Jesus – then we should expect it to happen to believers today.”[2] Just as waiting is part of our Christian identity, suffering is also, as we follow in our Saviour’s and early believer’s footsteps. There is good news, however, as Paul turns to a third mark of the Christian life: dying and rising.

Death and Resurrection

As the Thessalonians mourn the death of some of their members, Paul comforts them by referring back to the gospel. He reminds them that Jesus died and rose and “that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep with him.” (1 Thess. 4:15) Those who are still alive on the day of the Lord, will be “caught up together” and “will be with the Lord forever.” (1 Thess. 4:17)

We therefore do not grieve like those with no hope, yet we do still mourn as we miss loved ones. For those in Christ, we look forward to “a cosmic event which will include the personal, visible appearing of Jesus Christ and the gathering to him of all his people, whether dead or alive at the time…”[3] Our sure hope of eternal life as our security rests in Jesus’ resurrection from the dead.

As we wait for Christ’s return, our lives will be marked with suffering and ultimately death. The encouragement of a resurrected life that Paul offers the Thessalonians, is the same encouragement and hope we cling to today. Jesus rose and those in Christ will rise… Come Lord Jesus, Come!

_{[1] M. Vroegop. Waiting Isn’t A Waste, p80.}

_{[2] M. Jensen. 1-2 Thessalonians, p41.}

_{[3] J.Stott. The Message of Thessalonians, p105-106}