Investigation :

Letter to Thessalonian: In groups, read the letters below and answer the
questions.
1 Thess 4:13-18; 5:1-11
4:13 But we do not want you to be
uninformed, brothers and sisters, about
those who have died, so that you may not
grieve as others do who have no hope. 14
For since we believe that Jesus died and
rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will
bring with him those who have died. 15 For
this we declare to you by the word of the
Lord, that we who are alive, who are left
until the coming of the Lord, will by no
means precede those who have died. 16 For
the Lord himself, with a cry of command,
with the archangel's call and with the sound
of God's trumpet, will descend from
heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise
first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are
left, will be caught up in the clouds
together with them to meet the Lord in the
air; and so we will be with the Lord
forever. 18 Therefore encourage one
another with these words.

2 Thess 1:5-12; 2:1-12

2:5 This is evidence of the righteous

judgment of God, and is intended to make
you worthy of the kingdom of God, for
which you are also suffering. 6 For it is
indeed just of God to repay with affliction
those who afflict you, 7 and to give relief to
the afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord
Jesus is revealed from heaven with his
mighty angels 8 in flaming fire, inflicting
vengeance on those who do not know God
and on those who do not obey the gospel of
our Lord Jesus. 9 These will suffer the
punishment of eternal destruction,
separated from the presence of the Lord
and from the glory of his might, 10 when
he comes to be glorified by his saints and to
be marveled at on that day among all who
have believed, because our testimony to
you was believed. 11 To this end we
always pray for you, asking that our God
will make you worthy of his call and will
fulfill by his power every good resolve and
work of faith, 12 so that the name of our
5:1 Now concerning the times and the
Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and
seasons, brothers and sisters, you do not
need to have anything written to you. 2 For you in him, according to the grace of our
you yourselves know very well that the day God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
of the Lord will come like a thief in the
night. 3 When they say, "There is peace and 2:1 As to the coming of our Lord Jesus
security," then sudden destruction will
Christ and our being gathered together to
come upon them, as labor pains come upon him, we beg you, brothers and sisters, 2 not
a pregnant woman, and there will be no
to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed,
escape! 4 But you, beloved, are not in
either by spirit or by word or by letter, as
darkness, for that day to surprise you like a though from us, to the effect that the day of
thief; 5 for you are all children of light and the Lord is already here. 3 Let no one
children of the day; we are not of the night deceive you in any way; for that day will
or of darkness. 6 So then let us not fall
not come unless the rebellion comes first
asleep as others do, but let us keep awake
and the lawless one is revealed, the one
and be sober; 7 for those who sleep sleep at destined for destruction. 4 He opposes and
night, and those who are drunk get drunk at exalts himself above every so-called god or
night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let object of worship, so that he takes his seat
us be sober, and put on the breastplate of
in the temple of God, declaring himself to
faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of be God. 5 Do you not remember that I told
salvation. 9 For God has destined us not for you these things when I was still with you?

wrath but for obtaining salvation through

our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us,
so that whether we are awake or asleep we
may live with him. 11 Therefore encourage
one another and build up each other, as
indeed you are doing.

6 And you know what is now restraining

him, so that he may be revealed when his
time comes. 7 For the mystery of
lawlessness is already at work, but only
until the one who now restrains it is
removed. 8 And then the lawless one will
be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will
destroy with the breath of his mouth,
annihilating him by the manifestation of his
coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is
apparent in the working of Satan, who uses
all power, signs, lying wonders, 10 and
every kind of wicked deception for those
who are perishing, because they refused to
love the truth and so be saved. 11 For this
reason God sends them a powerful
delusion, leading them to believe what is
false, 12 so that all who have not believed
the truth but took pleasure in
unrighteousness will be condemned.

What will happen at "the end"? Who is involved? How is Jesus involved?
When will it happen?
Will the timing be unexpected or predictable?
How will it all happen? Will anything come before the end?
Are there contradiction between 1 Thessalonians and 2 Thessalonians on
these points? Or just differences in emphasis?

Questions for Discussion:

1 Thessalonians
Which verses or passages most surprised you, inspired you as you read this
letter? Why?
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Who are the Thessalonians? What do we know about the early Christian
community in Thessalonica?
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What evidence in this letter and in Acts 17 shows that the Christians in
Thessalonica were being persecuted by others in their city, and what does
Paul say to them in response?
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How are Pauls instructions in this letter still applicable today?

2 Thessalonians:
Which passages or verses most surprised you or inspired you? Why?
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What are the main issues are addressed in the letter?
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Can see any similarities or differences in the letters? Are they contradicting
each other?
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