1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

D. The certainty of Christ's coming, 5:1-11

1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.

2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.

3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.

discussion questions

1A. What are the signs of Christ's second coming? __

1B. Who knows when this event will take place? _

1C. Who does not know when Jesus is coming again? __________

2A. In what way is the coming of Christ like a thief in the night? ___

2B. Does this mean that he will NOT come in the daytime? _______

3A. Why do we fail to take the second coming seriously? ________

3B. How will the second coming be sudden "destruction"? _______

3C. List all who will escape the coming of Christ. _

4A. What is the darkness mentioned here? _____

4B. How can Christians avoid being taken by surprise at the second coming? ___

5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.

6 Therefore let us not sleep, as [do] others; but let us watch and be sober.

7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.

discussion questions

5A. In what ways are Christians children of light?

5B. Explain the contrast between - night and day, darkness and light. _________

5C. How can you tell if one of the darkness or night? ___________

6A. What does "sleep" mean in this verse? _____

6B. Why are many Christians so indifferent to the world? ________

6C. In what ways should we watch for the coming of Christ? ______

6D. How does a "sober" Christian act? _________

7A. Why does evil like darkness and night? _____

8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.

9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,

10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.

11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do. comfort: or, exhort

discussion questions

8A. Why is a breastplate mentioned here? ______

8B. How will "faith and love" protect us? ________

8C. How does the helmet of hope help us? _____

9A. Unto what have we been appointed? _______

9B. Explain 2 Peter 3:9 and 1 Timothy 2:4. _____

10A. What do "wake or sleep" mean in verse 10?

11A. List some ways we can exhort one another.

11B. How can we build each other up? ________