In this week’s message, THE PURSUIT OF HOLINESS I (1 Thes. 5:12-15) we started to look at God’s concluding remarks to us in the book of First Thessalonians.
In way of brief review, the Lord wants our faith to grow and be established in the light of His return for us (1 Thes. 3:2, 5, 7, 10, 13, etc.). Because of this, Paul sent them a helper (1 Thes. 3:1-5); then he sent them God’s Word (1 Thes.… Continue reading
In this week’s message, SAVED! WHETHER ALERT OR ASLEEP (1 Thes. 5:7-11) we looked at a second application of “comfort” to God’s children (1 Thes. 4:18; 5:11). After a brief discussion of “the day of the Lord” which will follow the church’s removal from the planet (1 Thes. 5:1-3), the Lord turned back to the church (i.e. “But you…”) with additional “comfort” and exhortation (1 Thes. 5:4). Not only are Christians as the bride of Christ guaranteed He will return for us removing us from the earth- out of harm’s way- in the rapture and transform our bodies into “immortal” ones like His at that time (1 Thes.… Continue reading
In this week’s message titled, WATCH AND BE SOBER (1 Thes. 5:1-6), we shifted our focus from the moment in time that Jesus raptures (i.e. snatches) His bride/the church off the planet (1 Thes. 4:17, 1 Cor. 15:51-52; Eph. 3:5, 9-10; 2 Cor. 11:2; Rev. 19:7, etc.) to the days that would immediately follow…
God’s words, “But concerning,” shows a change of subject from the church’s removal and glorification to “the day of the Lord” (1 Thes.… Continue reading
In our 11th message in the book of First Thessalonians we reached its climax- the day when JESUS COMES FOR HIS BRIDE! (1 Thes. 4:13-18). The Gospel is truly good news! (John 3:16; 1 Cor. 15:3-4; Matt. 28:19-20; Acts 1:8, etc.). Jesus is the “firstfruits,” our pioneer who has gone before us- risen from the dead- and one day we will follow with glorified bodies when “death is swallowed up” in life (1 Cor.… Continue reading
In this week’s message titled, BROTHERLY LOVE (1 Thes. 4:9-12), we continued our look at the Lord’s urging and exhortation for us “to walk” in such a way as “to please” Him with our lives today- in the light of His return (1 Thes. 3:13-4:1; Rom. 12:1-2, etc.). Not only does the “law of Christ” “command” us to “abstain from sexual immorality” so we can be more like Jesus, but God inside of us also gives us the supernatural ability to follow Jesus’ command for us to love one another in the way that He loves us (Gal.… Continue reading
Last Sunday in a message titled, OUR SANCTIFICATION (1 Thes. 4:2-8), we continued our look at the Lord’s urging and exhortation for us “to walk” in such a way as “to please” Him with our lives today (1 Thes. 4:1; Rom. 12:1-2, etc.). When a Christian “diligently seek[s] Him,” applying God’s Word to his or her life, it “pleases” God in a present-day sense (1 John 1:9; Heb. 11:6b, etc.).… Continue reading
Last Sunday we had Gideon’s International share about their ministry for the first part of our service and then we started a new message in 1 Thessalonians titled, THIS IS THE WILL OF GOD (1 Thes. 4:1-3).
Chapter 3 showed us it is God’s desire for our faith to be strengthened and grow, right up to the time we see Jesus face-to-face (1 Thes. 3:1-13). When properly taught and taken to heart, the return of Christ motivates us to live a holy life (Titus 2:11-13; 1 John 3:2-3, etc.).… Continue reading
In this week’s message, MAKING OUR JOY COMPLETE (1 Thes. 3:6-13), we saw Paul’s response to Timothy’s report and his prayer for the believers there in Thessalonica.
Paul had sent Timothy to strengthen the Christians there as he was deeply concerned about their “faith” (1 Thes. 3:5). Timothy returned with “good news” that the church there was keeping their eyes on Jesus even though they had lost loved ones around them in the intense persecution they faced from the enemy (1 Thes.… Continue reading
In Sunday’s message, ESTABLISHING OUR FAITH (1 Thes. 3:1-5), we continued to look at Paul’s enormous burden for the church in Thessalonica that was ‘under fire’ by “Satan” as they stood for Christ (1 Thes. 2:18; 2 Cor. 11:28, etc.).
When Paul “could no longer endure it,” he and Silas “sent Timothy” back to the believers there to “ESTABLISH… [their] FAITH” (1 Thes. 3:1-2). Paul and Silas, after heading the missionary outreach in Thessalonica (Acts 17:4), were not able to return, but their younger “brother… minister, and fellow laborer” Timothy was the perfect man for the job as he was able to sneak back ‘under the radar’ of the authorities there with the “comfort [parakaléō] of God” (1 Thes.… Continue reading
In our message, THE WORD WORKING IN US (1 Thes. 2:13-20), we picked up our series again in the book of 1 Thessalonians after the holidays.
The Thessalonian Christians brought Paul and his missionary team joy in the way they “received” and continued to receive God’s Word (1 Thes. 2:13). “Word of God” is listed twice here for emphasis. The new believers there not only heard it with their ears but they took it to heart, welcoming it into their very souls because they knew it was “not… the word of men, but as it is in truth” from God (1 Thes.… Continue reading
