1 Thessalonians

First Thessalonians is likely among the earliest Christian writings we possess, a window into a young church only months old. Paul had been forced out of Thessalonica abruptly, and he writes with a parent's relief after Timothy returns with good news: their faith is standing firm under pressure. The letter glows with affection, gentle as a nursing mother, encouraging as a father. Its most famous passages concern the Lord's coming: grief with hope for those who sleep, the trumpet and the meeting in the air, and the sober counsel to stay awake, giving thanks in all circumstances.