Intersections: A Living Faith in a Dying World

Text: 1 Thessalonians 4:9-12

Pastor Steve Thomas

Bulletin insert: 08/29/2010
Title: Part 13–An Unusual Ambition
Text: 1 Thessalonians 4:9-12

The Ambition: _____________________________________________

The Foundation: _______________________________________ (v.9-10)

The Intentions: __________________ and ____________________ (v.12)

The Temptations: ______________, ______________, ___________ (v.11)

Your Application: ____________________________________________?
Going Deeper
This section is provided for those who may wish to spend time this week going deeper with the material from the sermon, or for study in small groups. This is an optional opportunity to take the message and internalize and deepen your understanding. Small groups are welcome to do pieces of this as time allows.

Reviewing 1 Thessalonians 4:9-12

According to 1 Thess. 4:9, God has taught us about love (agape love = sacrificial other focused love) to the extent Paul does not need to “write” about the topic.

• In what ways has God taught you about love?
• How is God teaching you about love?
• What other passages does this verse bring to your mind?

A more word for word translation of verse 10 would read like this: “for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more.”
• How does the phrase “you are doing to all the brothers” shape your understanding of what it means to “love one another”?
• Why do you think it would be important to continually do acts of love to others?

In verse 11 Paul gives us a charge to be ambitious for three life characteristics.
• What are these three characteristics?
• In the context of Christian love in community, how do you see these instructions as important?
• What danger can you identify to brotherly-love if they are not followed?

Can you identify with any of these instructions? If so, what would God be asking you to do for the sake of brotherly love?

Verse 12 provides Paul’s two goals in this exhortation.
• Describe the two goals?
• How do the goals connect with the two priorities of the Christian life – witness and love?
• Cultural consideration – do you think the “Western” idea of self-reliance underlies the 2nd goal? Why or why not?

Intersections: A Living Faith in a Dying World

Text: 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8

Pastor Steve Thomas

Bulletin insert: 08/22/2010
Title: Part 12–A Revolutionary Pursuit of Sexual Purity
Text: 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8

I. Pursuing purity __________________________________________

II. Pursuing purity __________________________________________

III. Pursuing purity _________________________________________

IV. Pursuing purity _________________________________________

V. Pursuing purity __________________________________________

Going Deeper

This section is provided for those who may wish to spend time this week going deeper with the material from the sermon, or for study in small groups. This is an optional opportunity to take the message and internalize and deepen your understanding. Small groups are welcome to do pieces of this as time allows.

Reviewing 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8

This week read 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8.  Study the passage and then look at the cross reference I’ve provided for you.

1)     Is Paul rebuking this congregation or exhorting them?

2)     What do you think it means that they were “instructed in how to live to please God”? (c.f. 1:9)

3)     What is God’s will for your life (v.3,7)? What is the one specific application of this will found in 1 Thess. 4:3-8?

4)     What two types of people are contrasted in this passage? How are they distinguished? What clues does this passage give to us concerning how to be pure? (c.f. 1:4-9)

5)     Paul describes sexual immorality as a “breaching of boundaries” and thus a “defrauding” of others (v.6). What does this tell you about God’s view of sex?

6)     What is the greatest hope we have in pursuing God’s calling for our lives? (v.8)

Read Colossians 3:1-14. To what does Paul consistently refer prior to charging people to change their behavior? List these statements of your identity in Christ.  Give thanks to God for this!

What kinds of correlations can you find between the two passages (1 Thess. 4:1-8 and Col. 3:1-14)? How does knowing, or growing to know God more fully, factor into each section?

What is one thing you need to believe from this passage?

What is one thing God is asking you to do from this passage?

Pray this prayer this week…

“Father, give me the faith to believe what is true of me in Christ. And, Father, give me the strength to do that which you have asked. Amen”

Intersections: A Living Faith in a Dying World

Text: 1 Thessalonians 1:2-3

Pastor Steve Thomas

Bulletin insert: 08/15/2010
Title: Part 11–How the Gospel Changes You: Its Initial Impact
Text: 1 Thessalonians 1:2-3

Main Point:

1)     The gospel IS _________________________________________ (v.4)

Aside: ­­­­­­­­­______________________________________

2)     You really ________________________________________ (v. 9-10)

3)     The _______________________________________________(v. 5-7)

• View 1:

• View 2:

4)     A singer of ____________________________________ (v.8)

Going Deeper

This section is provided for those who may wish to spend time this week going deeper with the material from the sermon, or for study in small groups.  This is an optional opportunity to take the message and internalize and deepen your understanding.  Small groups are welcome to do pieces of this as time allows.

Scripture Meditation: Psalm 40 is a powerful and well-known Psalm.  It speaks of a person’s realization that they are in a hole of their own digging… from which there is no way out without divine intervention.

As you read Psalm 40 this week, consider the situation of the psalmist in v. 1, 6, and 12.

• How did the Psalmist get in the pit?
• What was the Psalmist doing there?
• What did the Psalmist realize God did not want? How did the Psalmist come to understand this?
• What did the Psalmist do when he realized his situation and God’s character?

Consider God’s activity in this psalm, especially looking at verses 1-3. List the 5 actions God did for the psalmist.  What does this tell you about God’s heart?

The Psalmist tells of a new song (v.3) – from the rest of the psalm, what is the song? (v.4-5, 9-10).

Exercise: The psalmist’s song is one of testimony.  Consider what you have learned from 1 Thess. 1:4-10 and Psalm 40 regarding God’s work in our salvation.  Think through God’s work in your life – what is your story?  Write the story down; note what you may only now see in hindsight regarding God’s work.  Ask God to bring someone in your path who needs to hear your story.  Be ready to share… be ready to build a new relationship.