Are you ready for Jesus to come back? Are you living your life in expectation of Christ’s return? As we continue walking verse by verse through 1 Thessalonians, these are questions I want us to consider. We are going to focus on one verse, verse 10, and one defining characteristic of the church God loves, specifically as it

relates to the second coming of Jesus.

Thessaloniki was a city in Greece where Paul had a short ministry, but it was a powerful ministry. Even though Paul was only there for about a month, the Gospel stuck, and the church continued to thrive. Throughout this series, we have been studying the kind of church God loves. God loved this church because of how they lived and who they were. They brought God pleasure. They impacted their lives, their community, and the surrounding area, and Paul describes that church for us in 1 Thessalonians 1:6–10 so we can learn to emulate it.

As we have been studying “The Church God Loves,” we have already seen what kind of church captures God’s heart. As we resume our study, there is something more to uncover. I want to remind you of Ron Popeil, the father of infomercials, who famously said, “But wait, there is more!”

That phrase fits perfectly here. As we move forward in 1 Thessalonians, we uncover more phrases and beliefs we need to embody. As we look at them, we must ask ourselves, “Lord, am I that kind of person? Am I helping my church family become that kind of church?”

In today’s key passage, Paul writes to a young church that had only existed for a few weeks before persecution began. Yet, even in the middle of opposition, this church remained strong and continued to grow. One of the themes that floats through these opening verses is “the church God loves.” I want to be part of a church that God loves. From Paul’s writing, we see several key characteristics of a church that God loves.

Last year, as I sat on the ground against a stump during a hunting trip, reading from the Greek New Testament and taking notes on my phone, I suddenly looked up and realized a buck was standing just a few steps away from me, staring at me. It caught me completely off guard. I realized there are times when things will catch us off guard, and I pray that the book we are getting ready to study would catch you off guard in a good way and give you great joy.

The Book of 1 Thessalonians is a powerful book, written around 51 A.D., and we are going to walk through it verse by verse and word by word. I believe God has a word for you today, and He wants to encourage you and speak to you at your deepest need.

Scripture tells us this tension should not surprise us. God is pouring out His Spirit in the last days, yet Scripture also says terrible and evil times will come. These realities are not contradictions; they are complementary. As believers, we must live in this tension, trust God to be God, and anchor our lives not in political systems or cultural movements, but in King Jesus. This brings us to Acts chapter 2, where we see a clear picture of what

the church looks like when the Spirit of God is actively moving through the lives of believers.

Today I want to remind us why the church exists and how God designed it to function. God wants the church to grow, and He wants us to grow. He wants to use us to help other churches grow. His plan has always been to use the local church to reach the world for Christ. Our ministry together is not limited to one location; God has placed us here to impact the entire world. As we study the Book of Acts, we see that the early church was united, undivided, and completely centered on Jesus. They were hungry for the Word of God, devoted to fellowship, committed to prayer, and fully engaged in God’s mission. Let’s continue to study Acts 2 together so we can learn how to be like the early church.

There is nothing like praise and worship. The Bible tells us that God inhabits the praises of His people. Worship is not a passive thing; it is an active function that is to be focused on the Lord Jesus and on Him alone. Worship is not about a praise team or a band. It is about the throne of our Lord Jesus Christ. As we continue our study of Acts chapter 2, we see powerful nuggets of truth that can be applied to our lives today. The last portion of Acts chapter 2 tells us what it means to be an Acts 2 believer and an Acts 2 church. One of the clearest lessons is this: God wants us to be the Church. The church is not a building; it is the “ekklesia,” the called-out ones. People are not looking for a relationship with a location; they are longing for God to give them what they need through people who are connected to Him and to each other.

When I was in seminary, I took a trip to New Mexico and decided to go snow skiing for the first time. I had all the right gear, looked like I knew what I was doing, and skipped the lessons, but as soon as a young student asked if I was the ski instructor, I fell flat on my face. I looked like I could ski, but I had no stability whatsoever. Today, I want to talk about developing stability in your life, balancing your life, using Acts 14 as our guide.

After Jesus ascended into heaven, He had a handful of faithful followers. Their interaction with the resurrected Lord changed them and totally rearranged them. Their lives would never be the

same again. Jesus does not want to be number one in your life; He wants to be your life. If you are wondering what New Testament Christianity looks like, go back to Acts chapter 2 and use this as an example. The Holy Spirit came for the first time to indwell believers, and the sound of a rushing wind drew the crowd. People from all over the world heard the Gospel proclaimed in their own language, thousands came to Christ, and it turned Jerusalem upside down.