Suggestions for leading a study:
I'll Be Back
Discussion Questions
-In
verse 1, what is it regarding the return of Christ that we don’t need to “waste
paper and ink” on?
-Do
we spend a lot of energy being concerned about times and dates on this
issue? If so, how have you seen that
happen?
-According
to verses 2 and 3, what is that we can say about the day of the Lord?
-In
verses 4 and 5, what is it that will keep us from being surprised by this
day? What do you think that means?
-Verse
5 tells us that we are “sons” of the light and of the day. Does this reference to a relationship help
us understand what Paul means?
-Verse
6 tells us to be alert and self controlled.
How can these two character traits help us not be “taken by surprise”
when Jesus returns?
-What
are the contrasts in verse 7? How do
these help us understand what it means to be spiritually alert and self controlled?
-In
verse 8, Paul mentions the “big three”: faith, hope, and love. He likens them to armor that protects
us. In verse 9, what do they protect us
from, and what do we receive instead?
-How
can each of these help that be true for us?
-According
to verse 10, what does God really want for us?
What did he do to accomplish it?
Leaders' Guide
This lesson is about the second coming of Christ and what it
is we should be doing to be prepared for it.
-In
verse 1, what is it regarding the return of Christ that we don’t need to “waste
paper and ink” on?
Paul says that he doesn’t need to write to
them about “times and dates.” The
discussion about this comes with the following question.
-Do
we spend a lot of energy being concerned about times and dates on this
issue? If so, how have you seen that
happen?
A look at the most popular books in the Bible
book store as well as the tabloid newspapers, TV preachers, etc. will reveal
that this is a topic that commands a lot of our time, energy and
resources. From this passage we realize
that this is not new to our generation.
From the time the church first began, people wanted to know how they
could determine when Jesus would be returning.
This can be a topic that some people feel strongly about and sometimes
there can be strong opinions. Be careful
not to criticize those. This is one of
those areas where well meaning Christians can disagree in love. Some feel that the imminent return of Christ
can be seen in current events and others think that is nonsense. Try not to allow anyone to speak disrespectfully
of anyone else’s opinion. The next
question tells us what it is that the Bible actually affirms regarding these
“times and dates.”
-According
to verses 2 and 3, what is that we can say about the day of the Lord?
That it will come like a thief in the night,
or like labor pains are two images that Paul uses to assure us that it will be
very sudden and something that can’t be pinned down precisely as to when it
will happen. Another point he makes is
that it will result in destruction for those not ready. While that is not the main point, it
certainly is important, since the point of this passage is how to avoid that
and receive salvation instead.
-In
verses 4 and 5, what is it that will keep us from being surprised by this
day? What do you think that means?
Not being in the darkness, or belonging to
the darkness, but rather being sons of the light and belonging to it will keep
us from being surprised. Being in the
light is a common image for what it means to follow Christ. There are various aspects to this that may
come up: we can see what’s going on, we
know the truth, etc. The bottom line is
the stark contrast that Paul paints between following Christ or not. To him, it’s a “black or white” issue: not a
lot of gray area in regards to the spiritual choices we make.
-Verse
5 tells us that we are “sons” of the light and of the day. Does this reference to a relationship help
us understand what Paul means?
The fact that Paul uses the image of family
in regards to this issue may help the group to understand that it is more than
just seeing truth, or understanding what is happening around you. It is about a relationship to God through
Jesus Christ. More an issue of who we
are and who we belong to than what we know or can see.
-Verse
6 tells us to be alert and self controlled.
How can these two character traits help us not be “taken by surprise”
when Jesus returns?
The text does not say much about exactly how
this happens, so let the discussion be an exploration of that. To be alert means that you will be on the
lookout for Christ’s return. Do we live
every day as if he could come any moment?
To be self-controlled may just be one of the ways we make sure that
we’re alert.
-What
are the contrasts in verse 7? How do
these help us understand what it means to be spiritually alert and self
controlled?
Being asleep and being drunk are the two
contrasts the Paul makes to being alert and self controlled. Obviously, he is using these as metaphors
since Christians still sleep (although we hopefully don’t get drunk). In any event, in both circumstances we are
not in control of our own situation.
When we are asleep our brain isn’t controlling our body at all, and when
we’re drunk it isn’t doing it very well.
God wants to find us making our own choices and making good ones when he
finally pulls the plug on this world.
-In
verse 8, Paul mentions the “big three”: faith, hope, and love. He likens them to armor that protects
us. In verse 9, what do they protect us
from, and what do we receive instead?
Faith, Hope, and Love are very common themes
for Paul. Here he maintains that they
will be part of what helps us to be alert and self-controlled, ready for the
second of coming of Christ. He compares
them to armor because in verse 9 we find that they will protect us from
suffering wrath, being saved for salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ
instead.
-How
can each of these help that be true for us?
Go through each one and ask how they can
protect us and save us. Faith is what
causes us to choose Jesus Christ in the first place. Hope is what sustains us and helps us persevere in that
relationship. Love is how it is
displayed—if we aren’t practicing our faith in concrete expressions of love for
God and other people it will eventually wither and die.
-According
to verse 10, what does God really want for us?
What did he do to accomplish it?
God’s ultimate intention is that we may “live
together with him.” That is what he
wanted when he put Adam and Eve in the garden in the first place, and his
ultimate goal for human-kind has never changed. He wanted it so bad that he died for us.
-What
does verse 11 say we should do in response to this? How can your group accomplish that to help each other be alert
and self –controlled until Jesus returns?
The “therefore” in verse 11 indicates that
here is the practical application to this:
to encourage one another and build each other up. Depending on your group, there may be
different ways you can help each other live in such a way as to be ready any
time for his coming. Prayer for each
other, of course. Perhaps
accountability partners. Just
continuing to be faithful to meet together is an important part of that.
At a time when different ways of
looking at the second coming of Christ can divide the church, Paul insists that
it should be something that brings us together in ways that are encouraging and
strengthening to our faith and our life together. This is where this lesson should really end: with a commitment to
live together in joyful expectation of the return of Christ, always helping
each other to be ready for that day.