2. The Urgency and exhortation comes in the name of:
1 Thessalonians 4:1
Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more, just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God;
Paul will continue in chapter 4 the pleading to the brethren in Thessalonica to pleased God in all that they do as Christian.
Paul appealed here to the fact that he wrote with the authority of Christ Himself (see vv. 2, 15; 5:27; 2 Thess. 3:6, 12).
please God. Cf. 2:4, 15; 2 Cor. 5:9; Eph. 5:10, 17; Col. 1:10; Heb. 11:6; 13:15, 16; 1 John 3:22.
This is done by obedience to the Word of God (cf. v. 3).
The Urgency and exhortation comes in the name of:
Lord Jesus —>
You should—>
Abound—>
Walk—>
Many of my brothers do not see THE URGENCY

3. I chose this as a memory verse so that we can realized that when we are talking about Jesus and His:
Will.
Authority.
Power.
Name.
Potentate.
We are talking about:
1 Thessalonians 4:2 for you know what commandments we gave you through the Lord Jesus.
Commandments!
Many are the preachers teaching congregations now days that Jesus is “NOT JUST ABOUT commandments”
Many are saying that we are scaring and losing church members because we are teaching to much about commandments, when the Bible is not just about that but LOVE.
1 Jn 2:3-4 Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
1 Thes 3:10 For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat.
1 Thes 3:4 And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, both that you do and will do the things we command you
Matt 28:20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
1 Thes 3:6 But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us.
Ezk 3:17 “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore hear a word from My mouth, and give them warning from Me:

4. 1 Thessalonians 4:3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality;
“This is the will of God”:
“God's will can be understood (Ephesians 5:17), and God clearly expresses His will.  
Why would God speak to mankind (Hebrews 1:1-2), if not to be understood?  
“Sanctification”
A state of purity or holiness.
“That you should be pure” (TCNT).
“Separated and set apart for pure and holy living” (Amp). 1 Peter 1:15-16.
One is purified from sin at conversion (1 Corinthians 6:11), but personal purity demands continual work (Hebrews 12:14).  
“We cannot get a one-shot inoculation of sanctification that will permanently guarantee our immunity against sin”. “
Some denominations hold to a doctrine that after a person has been saved, he may have a second work of grace, a sanctification by baptism of the Holy Spirit, in which all desire for and the practice of sin is taken out of his nature”.
Evidently the apostles did not believe or teach such a doctrine, even in reference to their own lives (1 Corinthians 9:27; Galatians 2:11-14; 1 John 1:8-10).
“That you should abstain sexual immorality”:
“Fornication”:
“The noun covers all forms of illicit sexual intercourse.  
These are incompatible with the relationship has to be viewed in the light of the fact that the body of the Christian belongs to God (1 Corinthians 6:19)

5. 1 Thessalonians 4:4 that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor,
“That”: Connecting 4:3 and this verse together.  
Paul is still dealing with the subject of abstaining from fornication.
“Each one of you”:
The same exact moral standard is required of all Christians, regardless of their background, social or economic strata, environment or upbringing.  
Judgment will be on an individual basis (2 Corinthians 5:10), therefore the purity of another Christian cannot save me.  
Holiness does not rub off and no man or woman has enough holiness to spare for someone else.
“Know how”:
The word “know” is a perfect active infinitive meaning that each one of them (and us) should learn and know the way to maintain his own purity.Carefully note that moral purity has some "know how" connected with it.  
Virtue is the result of being impressed with certain truths (2 Peter 1:5-6).
“Possess”: “The verb can be used in the sense ‘to gain mastery over’.
“his own vessel”:
The question among commentators is, “What does the word vessel refer to?”  Basically two views exist.  
The word vessel refers to the body of the believer (2 Corinthians 4:7; 2 Timothy 2:21; Acts 9:15).  
Or the word refers to the wife of the believer (1 Peter 3:7).
In sanctification and honor”:
“Purely and honourably”.
“And honor”:
Which seems to be saying that when one abstains from fornication, one is first of all treating oneself with respect.  
One is thus properly valuing the importance of one’s soul and body (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).  
Carefully note that God knows such can be done.  
Consider for a moment that when one treats God with respect in turn they are treating themselves with respect as well. .

6. “Not in passion of lust”
1 Thessalonians 4:5 not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God;
“Not in passion of lust”
“And not for the mere gratification of his passions” (TCNT).  
There is a passion that is healthy, but this passion is being fueled by pure lust.
Lust is pure greed.  
The adulterer is not satisfied with one woman.
This reveals that the real "root" cause of lust is selfishness.  
God knows that we can overcome lust.
“The God-empowered man rules his body.
“Some men think that nothing can be done about sexual passions except to gratify them”
Again, such verses demonstrate that we are not inherently depraved or born with inherent evil desires, because Scripture is repeatedly exhorting mankind to flee, abstain, and depart from such things as lust (2 Timothy 2:22), and such a departure is even to reach down into our hearts (Matthew 5:28).  
Like the Gentiles who know not God”:
“The heathen knew gods as licentious as they are themselves, but not God”
“Paul's characterization of its typical (the Roman Empire) way of life was justified.
It would be possible to offer a similar verdict on modern western civilization, as represented by its films, TV and novels, and as reflected in the statistics for marital breakdown”
Engaging in fornication is living like an unbeliever and lowering oneself to the level of one who is ignorant of God.
When we lose hold of God, when we abandon Him, we are in essence abandoning ourselves (Romans 1:18-28).

7. 1 Thessalonians 4:6 that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified.
Should take advantage and defraud his brother.
How can I defraud my brother in Christ if I do not keep my “vessel” in sanctification?
Does it make more sense in verse 6 if we take “vessel” as being the wife, and not “self” in this case? SKEOUS
How can I defraud my brother? Well either with his wife or daughter.
When fornication is committed, man sins against God Psalm 51:4, sins against his own body 1 Cor 6:18, and then he defrauds a father or a husband. Proverbs 6:27-35.
Remember: if we love one another with heavenly love, then we will not defraud anyone in any manner.
because the Lord is the avenger of all such.
Fornication is any sexual sin.
Sodom and Gomorrah comes to my mind when Paul mentions that the Lord is the avenger. Yes, those two cities proved the wrath of God, in all majesty, poured out against them.
as we also forewarned you and testified.
The Thessalonians knew what Paul had been talking about.
Our government does not condemn fornication. Instead- they reward it.
Example: Schools, instead of condemning fornication, give condoms to students to have “safe sex”, they argue.
Canada rewards single mothers that because of fornication, end up with 1, 2, or 3 babies. When that happens, they give more money when you are a single mother.

8. 1 Thes 4:7 For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness.
“Not for uncleanness”:
“God's call to us does not permit an impure life, but demands purity”
1 Peter 1:16; 2:11.  
Christianity does not give us the right to engage in immorality, and grace is not an excuse to sin (Romans 6:1).
“In holiness”:
“Christian purity is a subject that cannot be overly taught!”
It is a topic is that often stressed in Scripture. Philippians 4:8; 1 Timothy 5:22; 1 John 3:3; 1 Peter 3:2; Titus 2:5; Matthew 5:8; 2 Corinthians 7:1; 1 Peter 1:6-9.
I am commanded by God to teach about purity all the time as long as we get together as a church.
The admonition to be pure and live everyday in holiness, should not drain us out, but instead helps appreciate how much God loves us and is willing to deal with us.
We need to continue studying all of these letters in order to receive the same admonition that Christians in the first century received.
Let’s all keep in mind this evening: GOD DID NOT CALL US TO UNCLEANLINESS.

9. 1 Thessalonians 4:8 Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit.
“REJECTS not man, but God”:
Another clear claim to inspiration.  
The instruction and subject matter that were given in this letter were God's commands (Luke 10:16).
“REJECTS”:
The word here means to set aside, cast off, despise, or frustrate.
“Note that it is in the voluntary power of a man to resist or accept truth.
But it is not in man's power to escape the consequences of that choice”
One cannot reject the Bible, without rejecting God (John 12:48)
Neither can one separate a love for God, from obedience to His commands (John 14:15).
And one does not have to reject every verse in Scripture to reject God (1 Samuel 15:26).  
The rejection of any command is a rejection of God.
“Who give us His Holy Spirit unto you”:
This congregation did possess spiritual gifts (5:19-20), gifts that they would have received through the laying on of Paul’s hands (Acts 8:18).

10. This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
1 Thessalonians 4:9 But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another;
Concerning Brotherly Love.
That is the love that comes from God.
This type of love is known in the Bible as “Philadelphia”, or brotherly love. We find this- especially in Paul letters!
You have no need that I should write to you…
Why not?
Because brothers, there are things that we should know by now, like Paul mentioned in the Thessalonians.
Hebrews 5:12 says that these are the first rudiments that we should know by now!
The one telling us to love one another, is God.
The commandments are from God, like we read in John.
If we all value heaven, if we all value God, and want to see His face one day, then we are going to value our brothers in Christ.
Hebrews 5:12
For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food.
John 15:12
This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
John 13:34-35
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Psalm 133:1
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity!
We cannot love God whom we cannot see, and not love our brothers whom we see on Sunday morning, Sunday evening, Wednesday night etc...
1 john 4:12-16 explains all that!
Not fulfilling this commandment will put many people in trouble in the last day.

11. If they were already doing it, why mention it?
1 Thessalonians 4:10 and indeed you do so toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, that you increase more and more;
The brethren in Thessalonica were already doing what Paul was saying in verse 9.
So now the question is:
If they were already doing it, why mention it?
Like the saying goes: “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”.
Sorry everyone, but many times we need repetition of some things, in order to make sure we are following what God says.
Philippians 3:1- Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe.
We forget things so quickly, and for that reason, there needs to be a reminder every time.
Even if we don’t like it, the need is always there!
2 Peter 3:1-2
[1] Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), [2] that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior,

12. “work with your own hands”
1 Thessalonians 4:11 that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you,
“a quiet life”.
This refers to one who does not present social problems (1 Tim. 2:2), or generate conflict among the people in their lives.
Rather, is the one whose soul rests easy even in the midst of difficulty (1 Pet. 3:4).
Paul later deals with those who did not “mind their own business”, at Thessalonica (2 Thess. 3:6–15).
“work with your own hands”
Greek culture looked down on manual labor, but Paul exalts it (Eph. 4:28).
Same thing today, in this society in which we live. Many look down and put down people who do manual work...
Brother, what pleases God, is when we make an honest earning and keep our lives in all sanctification.
I want you to notice please what Paul says in the last part...
“AS WE COMMANDED YOU”
See is not us, is not me, is not Northside church of Christ invention, The New Testament is about doing the commandments from God!

13. 1 Thessalonians 4:12 that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing.
“Walk Properly”:
“Walk reputably”.
“Your conduct may win respect”
“Live influentially”
“The believer must always bear in mind the impact of his line of conduct on those who are without faith”
“Toward those who are outside”
That is, non-Christians (Colossians 4:5-6).
“When we Christians prove that our Christianity makes us better workmen, truer friends, kinder men and women, then and only then are we really preaching”
“Christians will never please everybody, but at least they can avoid bringing themselves into disrepute by failing to live up to the accepted standards of the society in which they live.
Paul concludes, Christians must aim not to be dependent on anybody, especially those outside the church who will take a poor view of them if their religion makes them a public nuisance and burden”
“His argument is that to work for one's own living is a mark of love, because then we do not need to depend on the support of fellow Christians, while deliberately to give up work is a breach of love because then we become parasites”
Idle people who live off the goodness and generosity of others are not living in love

14. 1 Thessalonians 4:13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.
“But I do not want you to be ignorant”
A common expression that Paul uses (Romans 1:13; 11:25; 1 Cor 10:1; 12:1).
Paul wrote so Christians would not remain in ignorance, therefore the letters that compose the Bible must be understandable and within the comprehension of the average person.
God wants Christians and all people to have access to His revelation (1 Timothy 4:13; Colossians 4:16; 1 Timothy 2:4).
“concerning those who have fallen asleep”
That is, Christians who have died. Death is spoken as a "sleep".   Unfortunately some have taken this is mean that the dead are unconscious, yet such is not the case (Luke 16:19)
Death is spoken as a sleep because the stillness of the body resembles sleep, death is a rest from frustrating labor (Revelation 14:13), and death like sleep is only temporary, both are followed by an awakening.
“lest you sorrow”
Paul is not forbidding sorrow rather he is teaching that a certain kind of sorrow is not appropriate in reference to the death of a Christian.
“as others who have no hope”
That you may not grieve as others do who have no hope” (RSV).
Death is the point of no return.  At death ones fate is sealed (Luke 16:19).  
People who die outside of Jesus Christ have no hope.
Mourning is natural, even for a while emotionally necessary. If Jesus wept at the graveside of his beloved friend Lazarus, His disciples are surely at liberty to do the same.  What Paul prohibits is not grief but hopeless grief”

15. Such ignorance and hopeless is inexcusable.
1 Thessalonians 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.
“For”
Such ignorance and hopeless is inexcusable.
“If we believe that Jesus died and arose again”
This is the fundamental and foundational stone of Christianity (1 Cor 15:1-3;17-19).  
The "if" in the sentence does not express any doubt, rather Paul is saying that such hopeless despair is completely incompatible with the person who believes in the death and resurrection of Jesus.  
“If God did not abandon Jesus to death, He will not abandon the Christian dead either”
Because His resurrection is the proof and promise of our and the resurrection of every believer (1 Corinthians 15:23).
“Even so”
The Christian dead will be raised just as Jesus was raised.  
If this is what we believe about Jesus, this is what follows from it.
“Him those who sleep in Jesus.”
Deceased Christians.
“In Jesus” Lit., through or by means of Jesus.  
It is "in" or "through" Jesus that one is delivered from the terror of death (Heb 2:14-16; Rev 1:17-18.
To fall asleep in Jesus is to die "in the Lord" (Revelation 14:13).  
It is also through or by means of Jesus, that our souls will be reunited with our glorified bodies (John 5:28-29; 6:44. “And I will raise him up on the last day”.

16. Now, who looks foolish? “By the word of the Lord”
1 Thessalonians 4:15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.
“By the word of the Lord”
“We do not say this on our own authority”.
Paul is claiming direct revelation (Galatians 1:12; 2:2; Ephesians 3:3).  
This same expression is often used to describe God's messages to His prophets (Micah 1:1; Hosea 1:1; Jeremiah 1:2; Luke 3:2).
Sometimes people ridicule Christians for placing their complete trust in the Scriptures, as if Christians are the only ones who place their confidence in something.  
The bottom line is that Christians place their trust in the word of God, everyone else places their trust ultimately in the words of men, either their own and the words of others.  
Now, who looks foolish?
“That we who are alive”
Christians will be alive on the face of the earth when Jesus does come.  
Evil will never be able to destroy the church (Matthew 13:36-43).
Unfortunately, even some Christians have taught that Paul believed that Jesus was going to come within his own lifetime, because he says, "we" that are alive.  
How quickly people forget that in this very same context Paul says he does not know when Jesus will come (5:1-3).  
In other passages he places himself among those that will be raised (1 Cor 6:14; 2 Cor 4:14).  
Actually Paul is simply using the same type of language we would use today.  "We" may be among those alive when Jesus comes or "we" may be dead.

17. ”and remain until the coming of the Lord”
1 Thessalonians 4:15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.
”and remain until the coming of the Lord”
The word “coming” “became the official term for a visit of a person of high rank, especially of kings and emperors visiting a province.
The coming of Jesus will be a revelation of God and a personal, powerful visitation by Jesus, the King”.
Some religious groups have tried to make the second coming into something impersonal, that is, like a coming of a better world.  
Yet Jesus is personally coming back
“will by no means precede those who are asleep”.
Acts 1:11 who also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.
The word “precede” means to “prevent in the older sense of anticipate, be beforehand.
The living shall not share the blessings of the coming sooner than the dead in Christ”
What Paul is saying is that those who have fallen asleep will not in any sense miss out on the events of the last day.  
They will not even be a second or two late in arriving.  The living will not get a head start on them.

18. 1 Thessalonians 4:16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
“For the Lord Himself”
“The One who will come at the end of this age is no less than ‘the Lord Himself’.  
It will be no angel or other created being to whom will be committed the task of bringing this age to an end.  
The Thessalonians are assured that they look forward to nothing less than a Divine intervention”.
”will descend from heaven”
As predicted in Acts 1:11.
From heaven because heaven is where presently resides at the right hand of God. Ephesians 1:20.
“With a shout”
A cried of incitement.
Originally and order an officer shouts to his troops, a hunter to his dogs, in other words when Jesus appears all will be attentive and on their feet!
Why? Christ will come as a “conqueror”
The shout, the yelling and the trumpets, signified that even the dead will be ready for that day and time for when the Lord comes. John 5:28-29.
The question is: who will miss that day?
No one, not even those who hurt Jesus at the cross. Rev 1:7

19. 1 Thessalonians 4:16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
“With the voice of an archangel”
The term “archangel” means “chief angel”.
In Jude 9, Michael is called an archangel.  
Gabriel is another angel mentioned in Scripture, but is never called an archangel (Luke 1:19,26).  
Michael is viewed as a commander over the other angels, who leads them into battle (Daniel 10:13, 21; Revelation 12:7).
Notice how Jesus is distinguished from the angels in the Bible (Hebrews 1:4-5, 6-7).  
Contrary to the teaching of the Jehovah Witnesses, Jesus is not an archangel.
Angels are often associated with the Second Coming (Matthew 13:41; 25:31; Mark 8:38; 2 Thessalonians 1:7; Jude 14).
We often forget that not only is Jesus coming, “many thousands” of angels are coming with Him (Jude 14).
“And with the trumpet of God”
1 Corinthians 15:52; Hebrews 12:19.
TRUMPET is the sound of deliverance.
“For believers this sound will be full of cheer.
This is God's trumpet!  
It is His signal.
It is sounded to proclaim His deliverance for His people”
“The variety and repetition as indicating the OVERWHELMING and irresistible call.
“The dead in Christ will come forward”!

20. 1 Thessalonians 4:17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.
“then we who are alive”.
The devil will not be able to destroy the church, there will be faithful Christians on the earth when Jesus returns.
“Shall be caught up together with them”.
With the righteous dead. “Caught up means to ‘to seize, carry off, snatch out or away’.  
It is the same word used in Acts 8:39 to describe how the Spirit of the Lord caught away “Philip after he baptized the Ethiopian”
The expression "caught up" is where people get the idea of a "rapture".  Yet according to these verses this event is not secret nor is it silent 4:16.
It will not happen seven or a thousand years before punishment comes upon the wicked. 5:1-3.
“In the clouds”
Notice that this reunion takes place in the clouds, and not upon the earth.  
Jesus is not coming back to set up an earthly kingdom, rather He is coming to deliver up the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 15:24).
“To meet the Lord”
The word "meet" is used of commonplace meetings, but it also can refer to "the formal reception of a newly arriving magistrate.  
It implies welcome of a great person on his arrival.
It may well be that there is a touch of the formal here, with the thought of a royal reception.  
“And so shall we ever be with the Lord”
“This means that between Jesus Christ and the man who loves Him there is a relationship which nothing can break. John 17:24; Revelation 21:3; 22:3.

21. 1 Thessalonians 4:18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.
To call near, invite, invoke (by imploration, exhortation or consolation).  
“One another”:
The responsibility is mutual.
“With these words”
something is wrong when people say, “I read the Bible, but I could not find any help or encouragement in what it says”, or “I did read the Bible but it won’t do anything for me”.  
Let's resist the temptation to alter the message, just because something is wrong with the hearer!
The person who views what Paul wrote as the word of God, will find encouragement and comfort, because "these words" settle the matter for that person.
“It is interesting that he does not urge them simply to faint not.  
These tidings, he thinks, should impel them to be active in seeking one another out and strengthening one another.
When the persons says: I do not find any comfort in the Bible, in prayers, in singing, in coming to church, in talking to brothers, in all that is spiritual, then brothers there is a “big problem then”.
We need to ask God what exactly I happening to “ME”, not to God, not to his Word, not to the church, but “ME”.
See, many times we want to check everyone and everything but “ME”.
Do you receive comfort in those Words?