Thessalonians

In this series, we explore two of the earliest letters in the New Testament—written by the Apostle Paul to a young church facing pressure, persecution, and cultural confusion. Go through this series to help you stay grounded in faith, love, and hope as you follow Jesus.

Podcasts + Discipleship: Click to Learn How to Use PursueGOD

PursueGOD is a new kind of discipleship curriculum for an increasingly complicated world. We use podcasts on a variety of topics to offer no-nonsense answers to everyday questions. Then we organize these podcasts into series so you can use them to make disciples at church, home, or in the world. Here’s how it works:

  1. Pick a series from our homepage. There's plenty to choose from!
  2. Each series contains multiple lessons. Click on the numbered tabs to open each lesson.
  3. Start by listening to the podcast on your own, before you meet as a group. Take notes as needed, and listen again if it helps. Consider starting a discipleship journal to track what you're learning.
  4. Meet as a group to talk through what you learned from the podcast. Each lesson includes shownotes, talking points, and discussion questions. Click on the # tab to explore additional topics.
  5. Listen to the podcast above for more helpful tips or check out one of our many training series.

1 Thessalonians

A New Tribe (1:1-4)

Click for Shownotes

A New Identity in Christ

Today we launch a powerful new series on the letters to the Thessalonians. These two short New Testament books—1 and 2 Thessalonians—were written to one of the earliest churches planted by the Apostle Paul. Before jumping into the rich theology and encouragement in these letters, it’s helpful to explore the background: Who was Paul writing to? Why did he write? And how can these ancient letters speak directly to us today?

Understanding the Timeline of Paul’s Letters

Before diving into 1 Thessalonians, let’s take a quick detour through the New Testament table of contents. The Apostle Paul wrote 13 letters (or epistles), and they weren’t written in the order they appear in your Bible. Understanding their timeline helps us grasp the historical and spiritual context of each one.

1 Thessalonians was written around AD 50, making it one of Paul’s earliest writings—possibly his second after Galatians. Here’s a simplified overview of Paul’s epistles in chronological order:

  • Galatians (AD 48) – After Paul’s first missionary journey

  • 1 Thessalonians (AD 50) – Written from Corinth after Timothy’s encouraging report

  • 2 Thessalonians (AD 51) – Soon after 1 Thessalonians to clarify teaching on Christ’s return

  • 1 & 2 Corinthians (AD 55–56) – To address division and reconciliation

  • Romans (AD 57) – A theological masterpiece written before a trip to Jerusalem

  • Prison Epistles (AD 60) – Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, Ephesians from Rome

  • Pastoral Epistles (AD 63–67) – 1 Timothy, Titus, and finally 2 Timothy before Paul’s death

The City of Thessalonica and the Church’s Birth

Paul planted the church in Thessalonica during his second missionary journey (see Acts 17). But his time there was brief. After just three weeks of preaching in the synagogue, persecution forced Paul and his team to flee the city. This sudden departure left the young church without strong leadership during a time of growing hostility.

Later, while Paul was in Corinth (see Acts 18), he sent Timothy back to Thessalonica to check in. Timothy’s report was encouraging, so Paul wrote 1 Thessalonians to strengthen, teach, and affirm the faith of these new believers.

Importantly, this letter was written before any of the four Gospels had been completed. The early church relied on the oral tradition of eyewitnesses to Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. It wasn’t until decades later, as those eyewitnesses began to pass away, that the written Gospels were compiled (see Luke 1:1–4).

Competing “Tribes” in Ancient Thessalonica

Paul’s opening words to the church are deeply theological and culturally subversive:

“We are writing to the church in Thessalonica, to you who belong to God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thessalonians 1:1 NLT)

That word “church” in Greek is ekklesia, and in the Greco-Roman world, it didn’t originally mean a religious group. It referred to a political or civic assembly—like a town hall meeting. Thessalonica had many such groups:

  1. Civic Assemblies – Free male citizens met to vote on laws and policies, aligned with Rome’s authority.

  2. Pagan Mystery Cults – Groups worshiped deities like Cabirus (a local messianic figure) and Dionysus (god of wine and ecstasy), often through secret rituals.

  3. Imperial Assemblies – Citizens gathered to declare loyalty to Caesar, who was worshiped as “lord” and “savior.”

  4. Jewish Synagogues – Paul first preached here, and some Jews and God-fearing Greeks joined the Christian faith. (See Acts 17:2–4.)

In this context, Paul redefined ekklesia to mean a new kind of people—not gathered around a king or philosophy, but around Jesus Christ as Lord.

A New Kind of Tribe: God’s People

Paul’s main point in 1 Thessalonians 1 is that the believers now have a new identity:

“You belong to God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thessalonians 1:1 NLT)

Their former “tribes” no longer define them. They now belong to God’s people—those who have responded to the gospel through faith.

Paul continues:

“We always thank God for all of you and pray for you constantly. As we pray to our God and Father about you, we think of your faithful work, your loving deeds, and the enduring hope you have because of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thessalonians 1:2–3 NLT)

This “trifecta” of faith, love, and hope becomes a recurring theme in Paul’s writing. In 1 Corinthians 13:13, he calls these the three things that last forever.

Who Gets the Credit?

Finally, Paul reminds them of one crucial truth:

“We know, dear brothers and sisters, that God loves you and has chosen you to be his own people.” (1 Thessalonians 1:4 NLT)

This verse introduces the concept of being “chosen”—a powerful biblical idea that Paul expands later, especially in Romans. For now, the message is clear: God gets all the credit for our salvation. We didn’t earn our way into God’s tribe. He brought us in because of His love.

So What? Identity Matters

In today’s world, people still form tribes—political, cultural, ideological. But Paul’s message remains: Your primary identity must be in Christ. If you’ve trusted Jesus, then you belong to God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ above all.

That identity should shape your views on politics, sexuality, family, money, and everything else. And for those still considering, the invitation is open: God loves you. He has made a way for you to belong to His eternal tribe.

Talking Points:
  • Paul’s 13 letters span decades, but 1 Thessalonians was among the earliest, written around AD 50 during his second missionary journey. Acts 17:1-9
  • Thessalonica was a culturally diverse city with four types of assemblies or ekklesia: civic gatherings, pagan mystery cults, imperial celebrations of Caesar, and Jewish synagogues. 1 Thessalonians 1:1
  • Paul calls the Thessalonian believers out of these cultural tribes and into a new one—the people of God. Their identity is now rooted in belonging to “God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Thessalonians 1:1
  • This new identity transforms their actions: they exhibit faith that works, love that labors, and hope that endures. These qualities define what it means to belong to Christ. 1 Thessalonians 1:2-3
  • Their faith journey didn’t start with their own efforts. Paul reminds them (and us) that it was God’s love and choice that brought them into this new community. 1 Thessalonians 1:4

Discussion:
  1. Read the talking points above as a group, including scripture references. What are your initial thoughts about these points or about the podcast lesson (see audio above)?
  2. What “tribes” or group identities are most influential in your life today? How do they shape your values and choices?
  3. In what ways do you see tension between cultural identity and Christian identity?
  4. What do you think Paul meant when he called the church “those who belong to God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ”?
  5. How do faith, love, and hope show up in your daily life? Which of these comes easiest or hardest for you?
  6. How does understanding God’s choice and love for you impact the way you live?
  7. What would it mean for you to fully embrace your identity as part of God’s new tribe, above all others?

The Gospel vs. The Empire (1:5-10)
Click for Shownotes

The Gospel vs. The Empire: Why Jesus, Not Caesar, Is the Real Good News

Setting the Stage: A Young Church in a Pagan City

The Apostle Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians is one of his earliest writings, addressed to a young and courageous church in the city of Thessalonica. Located in Macedonia, this city was a thriving cultural center in the Roman Empire. It was full of competing loyalties:

  • Civic Assemblies that promoted public allegiance to Roman rule

  • Jewish communities rooted in Old Testament tradition

  • Pagan mystery cults that worshiped local gods like Cabirus and Dionysus

  • Imperial cults that demanded loyalty to Caesar, who was honored as “Lord” and “Savior”

This cultural mixture made Thessalonica a spiritual and political battleground. It was in this context that Paul boldly preached a new message—one that didn’t fit into any existing category.

Caesar and the Counterfeit Gospel

To understand the revolutionary nature of Paul’s gospel, we need to grasp how the Roman Empire presented its rulers.

  • Julius Caesar (100–44 BC) was a military genius and political reformer. After his assassination, the Roman Senate declared him divine—Divus Julius.

  • His adopted son, Caesar Augustus, used that claim to establish himself as the “Son of God.” He was also called “Savior” and “Lord”, and he was praised for bringing peace to the empire—the Pax Romana.

  • In 9 BC, an inscription from Priene declared Augustus’s birthday “the beginning of the good news (euangelion)” for the world.

This was the Roman Empire’s version of the gospel: salvation through the emperor, peace through power, and a kingdom built by human might. It was political propaganda wrapped in divine language.

Paul’s Radical Message: The True Gospel

In direct contrast, Paul brought a different kind of good news to Thessalonica.

“For when we brought you the Good News, it was not only with words but also with power, for the Holy Spirit gave you full assurance that what we said was true…”
— 1 Thessalonians 1:5 (NLT)

This message centered on Jesus—not Caesar—as the true Son of God, the real Savior, and the eternal King. Paul wasn’t just preaching theology; he was making a political and spiritual declaration. His message was:

  • Not about the birth of Augustus, but the death and resurrection of Jesus (Acts 17:3)

  • Not about human rule, but about the kingdom of God

  • Not about Rome’s peace, but about peace with God through Christ

A Church That Chose a New Allegiance

The Thessalonian believers responded with joy—even though it brought suffering.

“So you received the message with joy from the Holy Spirit in spite of the severe suffering it brought you.”
— 1 Thessalonians 1:6 (NLT)

Their conversion was radical. They turned away from idols, including allegiance to Caesar, and began to serve the living and true God (1 Thessalonians 1:9). This wasn’t a mild change—it was a total shift in identity. According to scholars, they didn’t mix Jesus into their old beliefs; they abandoned the old system entirely.

Their faith became contagious. Paul says that their testimony rang out across Macedonia and Achaia. Others heard not just about their beliefs, but about how they lived and suffered for their allegiance to Christ.

A New Calendar, a New Kingdom

Paul finishes this section with a bold statement:

“And they speak of how you are looking forward to the coming of God’s Son from heaven—Jesus, whom God raised from the dead. He is the one who has rescued us from the terrors of the coming judgment.”
— 1 Thessalonians 1:10 (NLT)

While Rome proclaimed the emperor as savior, Paul declared that Jesus is the one who will rescue us. While Roman decrees tried to reshape time around Augustus’s birth, Christians later reshaped the global calendar to mark the birth of Jesus:

  • AD (Anno Domini) = “In the year of our Lord”

  • BC = “Before Christ”

Even in secular culture today, though terms like BCE (Before Common Era) and CE (Common Era) are used, they still trace back to the same pivotal event: the birth of Jesus.

The Takeaway: Only One King Can Make Things Right

From Caesar Augustus to modern politicians, the world keeps looking for someone to fix everything—someone who can restore order, bring peace, and heal division.

But no emperor, president, policy, or celebrity can do what Jesus has already done.

  • Jesus brings peace with God, not just peace in society

  • Jesus reigns eternally, not just temporarily

  • Jesus, not Caesar, is the true Son of God and Savior of the world

So if you’re asking today, “Who’s going to make things right?”—just look at the calendar. History itself testifies to the answer.

Jesus is Lord. And He’s coming again.

Talking Points:

  • The Roman Empire proclaimed its emperors as divine saviors, with Augustus even called the “Son of God” and his birthday declared the beginning of the “good news.” Luke 2:1 and historical inscriptions show how this belief permeated the first-century world.

  • Paul’s gospel message directly challenged the imperial cult by proclaiming Jesus—not Caesar—as Lord, Savior, and Son of God. 1 Thessalonians 1:5 and Acts 17:3 demonstrate the boldness of this claim.

  • The Thessalonians turned from idols to the living God, fully abandoning their old religious and civic loyalties. 1 Thessalonians 1:9 underscores the radical nature of their conversion.

  • Their faith became known far and wide—not because of political activism, but because of their allegiance to Christ in the face of suffering. 1 Thessalonians 1:6-8 shows how their example spread throughout the region.

  • The return of Jesus, not the reign of Rome, was their great hope. They looked to a heavenly king who would rescue them from coming judgment. 1 Thessalonians 1:10 proclaims this future hope.

  • Christians later rejected the emperor’s calendar by marking time from Jesus’ birth—Anno Domini (“in the year of our Lord”). This act of rebellion pointed to a kingdom that never resets and a ruler who reigns forever.

Discussion:
  1. Read the talking points above as a group, including scripture references. What are your initial thoughts about these points or about the podcast lesson (see audio above)?
  2. How does knowing the historical background of Caesar and the Roman gospel help you better understand Paul’s message in 1 Thessalonians?
  3. Why do you think the Thessalonians’ faith “rang out” across the region? What made their story so compelling?
  4. What modern “idols” or systems do people turn to today for salvation, peace, or identity?
  5. Have you ever felt pressure to prioritize political or cultural loyalty over spiritual truth? How do you navigate that tension?
  6. What does it mean in today’s world to say, “Jesus is Lord”? How might that confront the dominant cultural narrative?
  7. How can your faith become an example to others, just like the Thessalonians? What would that look like in your community?
Print Friendly, PDF & Email