1 Thessalonians 5:1-28
Reflect
It appears as though some of the Thessalonian people had the opposite problem that many Christians in North America have today. Paul writes that there were some who were so sure the second coming would be happening right away that they quit their jobs and weren’t doing anything anymore. Paul says they were idle and needed to be warned. Many Christians nowadays seem to have the opposite problem, rarely even thinking about the second coming, just going along with their lives as if the second coming is never going to happen.
Paul writes in this chapter for us to find a happy medium between those two extremes. We should not be surprised when the second coming happens because we are people of the light, but should also not neglect the work that God is giving us to do as we wait for that day to come.
Apply
There are many instructions on what that looks like in verses 14-22 of this chapter. Take a look at them and think about what it would look like for you to practically live that out today. How can you encourage, be patient, or help today? How can you be joyful, prayerful, or thankful today? How can you test and hold on to the good today?
Pastor Dave
Pray
- Pray that God’s Spirit would work powerfully and effectively in all the various activities taking place on our church calendar this weekend.
- Pray for our Young Adults & Worship Arts Pastor, Daunavan Buyer, his family and his interns, Stephen Alksne, Julia Brown, Jessica Hancock, and Grant Mix.
- Pray for our Congregational Life Pastor, Christine Okken.