The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1916-07-04
LESSON FOR JULY 9
THE THESSALONIAN CHRISTIANS.

GOLDEN TENTH we believe that
| Jesus died and rose again, even so them
also that are fallen asleep in Jesus will
| God bring with him.-I Thess Ala r. V.
This epistle is probably one OF tho
earliest of Paurs letters CA. d. 50-530.
1t links itself closely with the seven
| teenth chapter of the Book of Acts
| Driven from Berea, Paul goes to Ath-
ems and later to Corinth, while Tim
othy returns to Thessalonica and car
ries report to Paul at Corinth.
| Whereupon, perhaps within six
months. Paul writes his epistle. A
study of the two letters addressed to
! this church teaches us how Paul adj
vised and instructed his Gentle con-
verts. The first is a particularly cheer
| full, positive and helpful eXhortation.
|. Thanksgiving and Testimony q:
100; 2:17-20). Cd SaIutation G:D
| The phrase, "the church of the Thes-
| salonians which is in God" is nowhere
else used. Some think it to be unique
| because Paul had so little to condemn
or to criticize. The deity of jesus
Christ and that grace and peace pro-
coed from God is clearly set forth.
CD Thanksgiving (vv. and 81 (a)
For works of faith; CO. for their
labor of love-" and Co their pa
| thence" (endurance). That these
works were Gin the sight of God" is
evidence of their genuineness, and
such spiritual fruitage awakened
| CD knowledge in Paul's mind ". A.
| They were elected" to salvation, hol-
ness and likeness to Jesus wv. SO;
l Pet 1:2; Eph. IA, 5; Rom. 1920.
| (4 Testimony wv. 6-10). Paul could
appeal to the known conduct of him
| self and his friends to substantiate, to
prove, the standing of those candi-
dates for holiness who had been elect
| ed" His words had not come to them
| in mere eXhCrtation and elOquence but.
| ALSO in power" which governed their
conduct. This was not to win ap-'
| plause, but in his own case he labored
for their sakes (v. 81 and in their
| case they had received the word with
! joy" in the midst of affection to the
| end that they became examples (pat
| terms or types; literally, like the far
echoing notes of a trumpet (v. y to
| all that dwelt in the regionC there
about Their obedience, consistency
| and missionary spirit wv. 800 sound
ed forth everywhere and all that
needed to be done was to say, Behold
| the church ofThessalonica!" 60 PauPs
| glory and JOY (2:17-20). Paul sets
forth his character as Christian
worker (2:1-16). (a) His physical
holiness (vv /, %; (b) his faithful, i'm
partial teaching wv. $50, affectionate-
ly kind (7,8), unselfish, working for
his own support (v. 81, holy and con
sistent G3-16). No one had anything
on him." and such a life dares to be
bold though it is not free from per-
secution ". 49,. CO PauI's desire
| (2:17-20). He here sets forth why this
letter was written. Separated from
them by persecution, he desires to-
return and supply the things they were
yet lacking and to see face to face
those whom he loved. Satan pro-
vented ". 49, doubtless using the bit
| ter persecution stirred up against him.
| He had therefore sent Timothy from
had made such good report (3:1-10)
that it urged Paul to greater prayer
| wv. 11-13) on their behalf.
II. ignorance Ilumined (4:1318).
| Paul rebukes certain sins (4:1-12), ex
horting them to godlincss and to love.
one another. He then touches upon a.
doctrine which was one of his
strongest reasons for writing to these
| Thessalonians The imminent return
| of Christ had been strongly empha-
sized. but in the months Of Paul's alb
| sence some Of their number had died.
| died without seeing Christs promised
| glory. Would those who remained
| have any advantage over the dead
saints when Christ should come? 1t is
| to set their thinking Alright that Paul
writes This he does by outlining the
| great and blessed hope Of the church
in it's rapture" at Christ's coming.
| This is more clearly set forth here
| than anywhere else in the New Tesla
| ment Those who mourned over de-
! parted loved ones are not to sorrow
| as those who had no hope" Jesus
| the risen everlasting Savior and king,
| is certainly coming again in his king
| dom of glory, with shout with the
| voice of the archangeL" Their sor-
| row is not that of the world, for those,
| departed are but sleeping" and will
come back with Jesus when he comes.
| Together they who sleep and we who
| are alive shall be caught up ito meet
| the Lord in the air." all to dwell to-
gether forevermore with the Lord, in
| che glorious company when his king
dom is fully come and his will is com
| pletelv done on earth as well as in
| heaven. Their bodies, risen from the
grave and reunited to their souls in
| glorifed condition, and we who re-
main. the whole church or body Of
Christ caught up like Enoch of old
! (Heb. ID or Elijah-a glorious hope
| This is not alone Paul's word upon
this question, but this he says "by Tor
I'M the Word of God" ". 49,. No
wonder, then, that we should comfort
one another with these words" "
49,.
The Lord, who is now in heaven
| (Acts 10; Eph. 1920, shall himself
descend from heaven: not his spirit,