07 May What Happened in Thessalonica | Part 6 “How to Feel Fine at the End of the World” | All Locations

Announcements:

MOTHER’S DAY WEEKEND IS OUR REALLY BIG THINGS WEEKEND! YOU WON’T WANT TO MISS IT!  INVITE SOMEONE!

LEADERS: WE HAVE CHANGED UP THE DISCOVER CLASS WHICH USED TO BE GROWTH TRACK AND ARE ASKING ALL LEADERS TO RE-TAKE THIS A SOME POINT.  BELOW IS THE CLASS SCHEDULE:

FIRST WEEKEND: DISCOVER

SECONE WEEKEND: NO CLASSES

THIRD WEEKEND: CONNECT

FOURTH WEEKEND: BAPTISM

NEW: Embrace Grace Baby Shower, please see Kathleen Buckely who is the Action Group Leader if you  or your group would like to purchase a gift from the registry for one of the 3  ladies (Blooms).  She has the Baby Registry info – also I have posted the info to the the Face Book Life Group Leader Group.  

ALL CLASSES ARE AFTER FIRST SERVICE ON SUNDAYS

IMPORTANT***** Please add

Go to your email, add no-reply@churchcenter.com to your contacts (PLEASE ASK ME IF YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND) THANKS!

no-reply@churchcenter.com to your email contacts so that you do not miss an email from Planning Center and have your members add it as well.  This will ensure you do not miss a member request or any emails that come from the Planning Center site.

All announcements and the Waters Event Calendar can be found at:  waterschurch.org/events)

Location Text Alerts:

*********************

Key Verse: Thessalonians  4

Thessalonians – Part 6

How to Feel Fine at the End of the World

1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11

The Bible is a book of prophecy telling us what is going to happen.  Two thirds of scripture is prophecy and a good portion has already occurred, but much has not yet come to pass.  Jesus is coming back!  The world as we see it, is not the end of the story.  We need to be reminded there is a glorious future coming for every child of God in Christ Jesus!

Ice breaker:

Q: Besides Jesus, who are you excited to see or meet in Heaven?

In light of all the craziness that is going on in our world today we don’t feel fine (as the R.E.M. song from the 80’s tells us that we do) and it is only going to get worse.  These are just birth pains of what is to come upon the world.  BUT this world is not our home and God alone has the answer not the government.  This is not the end, suffering is going to come but as Christians, we have before us a doorway to everlasting joy in the presence of our God!

The end of the world should ENCOURAGE our faith, not ENGAGE us in ENDLESS DEBATES.

There are many debates about the End Times but it is okay to disagree with each other and not make it a central issue.  Many believe in a pre-tribulation rapture and they could be right, but we need to be prepared in the case of a post-tribulation rapture. 

We feel fine at the end of the world… because…

1. We have HOPE in the midst of GRIEF.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 (ESV)

The source of grieving is loss.  We lose something or someone.  That is what was happening in the church in Thessalonica.  Paul wanted them to be informed.  He did not want them to grieve the way the world grieves.  Christians grieve, but we grieve differently than the world because Jesus died and rose again.  The death of Jesus and the death of Christians are two very different things.  For Christians there are two births and possibly two deaths.  We are born physically and then made spiritually alive in Christ and either we die a physical death or are raptured by Jesus (rapture meaning to snatch away).  This is the hope of Jesus. We may die physically but never spiritually because of what Jesus had done on the cross for us, when we die physically we are only sleeping and Jesus will bring us back to life!

Q. How are you comforted with the hope you have in Christ regarding a recent loss?

Matthew 10:28 (ESV)

2. We are COVERED in the midst of CALAMITY.

1 Thessalonians 4:15–17 (ESV)

Paul is saying that those who have already died will be raised up first should Jesus return in our generation.  There is an order to the End.  When Jesus comes, the dead in Christ rise up and He snatches up (raptures) His Church.

1 Corinthians 15:51–52

We are not all going to die a physical death but we are all going to be changed.  We will have a new body in Heaven and instantaneously changed at the last trumpet (which would be a post-tribulation rapture).

Revelation 11:15 (ESV)

The seven final trumpets sound from Revelation 8-11 to signify the stages of the End. After the seventh trumpet finally sounds, (which Pauls stated in 1 Corinthians ^), there was a loud voice which means most likely we will go through the tribulation (post trib rapture).

1 Thessalonians 4:18 (ESV)

This is for our encouragement.  We need courage to face the End.  We get courage from the fact that God has us and he knows how to redeem and save his own through every trial and tribulation that comes upon the world.  We have nothing to worry about, the world has nothing on what God has in store for us!

Q. How can talking about God’s promises for our future encourage us in our daily lives?

3. We are ALERT in the midst of MORAL DETERIORATION.

1 Thessalonians 5:1-2 (ESV)

We see the moral deterioration in our world but if we read our Bible, we won’t be afraid as Jesus already told us to expect this. It should not be a surprise.

The term thief in the night comes from the OT (Exodus 22:2-3).  The law stated if a thief came in the night, killing him was justifiable, but if he came in the day you were guilty because his life is more important than your property. 

Jesus comes like a thief in the night, meaning we need to be vigilant and prepared for His return, not taken off guard.

1 Thessalonians 5:3-4 (ESV); Luke 21:25-26 (ESV)

Jesus told us to expect all of these calamities but we are to be confident and encouraged.

Q. How have you become more alert in your faith through the very recent decline in morality?

4. We are increasingly ENGAGED in ACTIONS of FAITH.

1 Thessalonians 5:6 (ESV)

This is the ‘point’ we do.  All the other points are what God did but this is for us to do. As the world comes to an end, many professing believers will give up and the reason is because they have become disengaged.  Many, over the last three years, have stopped attending Church.  We need to bind together and stay closer together because the last days are upon us and Jesus is coming soon! We cannot afford to take this half-heartedly or lightly.

1. Stay in the LIGHT.

1 Thessalonians 5:8a (ESV)

B. Stay STRONG in the FIGHT.

1 Thessalonians 5:8b (ESV)

Matthew 24:12–13 (ESV)

C. Stay TIGHT in the BODY of CHRIST.

1 Thessalonians 5:9–11 (ESV)

Challenge: Now is the time to become fully committed to attending church, serving others, inviting people to church, sharing your testimony and even being fully commited to your Life Group. 

Ongoing Challenge: Ask the Holy Spirit to fill you daily and to give you boldness to speak the Truth in love to those you encounter.