"It is not for us to tell the heirs of salvation to awake because they are in danger of the wrath to come, for they are in no such danger; that is past and gone. Rather let us remind them that their salvation is nearer than when they believed, and so stir them up to watchfulness and activity by appropriate motives.

Into what a deep slumber some professing Christians have fallen! How utterly insensible they are to the sins and sorrows of those around them. They believe God has a people, and they are very glad he has, as far as they are capable of being glad of anything that does not concern themselves. But, “the world lieth in the wicked one,” and multitudes are perishing."
Spurgeon

TEXT: 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11
SONGS: Redemption Draweth Nigh, Greater Vision
 I Believe, Jonathan Helser
Blessed Assurance: Jeremy Riddle
Yet Not I But Christ: City Alight

Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul
And sings the tune without words
And never stops at all.
Emily Dickinson

 For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen.  And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! 18 Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.  If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.
 ¶ But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. HALLELUJAH!
1 Corinthians 15:16-20

 ¶ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 1 Peter1:3-5

TEXT: 1 THESSALONIANS 4:13-18
SONGS: HOW GREAT THOU ART, HILLSONG
MERCY, ELEVATION CHURCH
HYMN OF HEAVEN, PHIL WICKAM

"The more we understand of the holiness and the righteousness of God, the more we begin to see by contrast how desperately fallen we are and how utterly dependent we are on His grace and mercy.  Holiness is the characteristic of God’s nature that is at the very core of His being. Only as we encounter God in His holiness is it possible for us to see ourselves as we really are. The practical life of the Christian flows from the vision of the God of holiness. "
R.C. Sproul

The quiet life is the practical outworking of a life associated with a holy, holy, holy God.

TEXT: 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12
SONGS: Holy, Holy, Holy, Hillsong
Such An Awesome God, Troy Worship
Mercy, Elevation Church

 C. S. Lewis wrote, ―Courage is not simply one of the virtues but the form of every virtue at the testing point, which means at the point of highest reality. Without courage, men and women will fail to be loving, to sacrifice, to count the cost, to tackle the challenges or take on the responsibilities that God calls them to. Undoubtedly, one cause of remaining immature and one of the shortest routes to ineffectiveness is to run scared, to be overly cautious, to play it close to the vest. Unless, through the courage of faith, we are willing to saddle up, we will simply remain in the corral and miss the growth experiences and fruitfulness of the open range. 

Love is rudimentary; it is where we are rooted and grounded to our faith. Paul will tell the Thessalonians, this is where their strength lies and this is where they will need to continue to grow because it opens the door to holiness. Like he said to the Ephesians, this love surpasses all knowledge.

TEXT: 1 THESSALONIANS 3:9-13

SONGS: SURRENDER, HILLSONG
LORD I NEED YOU, AUSTIN STONE
HYMN OF HEAVEN, PHIL WICKHAM

It is the testing of our faith that produces character. - the character to love, the character to build into others lives, the character to persevere and help others to do the same.. the character that can live out these words with all sincerity Isa 35:3 ; Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; 4 say to those with fearful hearts, "Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you."

2 Corinthians 7- For even when we came into Macedonia, our body had no rest at all, but we were troubled in every way—struggles from the outside, fears from within. 7:6 But God, who encourages the downhearted, encouraged us by the arrival of Titus. 7:7 We were encouraged not only by his arrival, but also by the encouragement you gave him, as he reported to us your longing, your mourning, your deep concern for me, so that I rejoiced more than ever.

 Encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called "Today,"  Hebrews 3:13

TEXT: 1 THESSALONIANS 3l1-8
SONGS: MY HANDS ARE OPEN, Bethel Worship
I WANT TO KNOW YOU, City Alight
THE CAUSE OF CHRIST, West Coast Baptist Bible College

"To the lost soul, Spurgeon earnestly heralded the gospel. He fervently prayed that his proclamations of Christ would drive sinners to look to Christ and be saved. Even while he was weighed down by the burden of unregenerate sinners, he counted it a joy “to deal to-day with lost souls who are not yet hopelessly lost.”

Every time the gospel of Christ pierced the heart and ransomed an enemy of God, the pastor rejoiced exuberantly. In Spurgeon’s view, it was a “joyful business altogether,” for “the Savior is glad to save, and the sinner is glad to be saved.” Furthermore, personal salvation incited corporate acclamation, as Spurgeon said, “What joy there is in the church of God when sinners are converted!    It is a joyful business altogether"
Those that receive the Word grow in the Word and in grace. They change, they go through a metamorphosis and there is no turning back. There is always conflict and there are always enemies hindering the Church. But, the crown Paul hoped for was to rejoice with them in grand reunion at the coming of Jesus Christ. It was his greatest motivation, it was the energy that kept him going, the gas in his tank!

TEXT: 1 THESSALONIANS 2:13-20
SONGS: GOOD GRACE, NEW LIFE CENTER
HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD: CHRIS TOMLIN
BLESSED ASSURANCE: JEREMY RIDDLE

"A man who waits is not living on the wages of today, but on the recompenses of a time which is yet to come; and this is the mark of the Christian, that his life is spent in eternity rather than in time, and his citizenship is not of earth but of heaven. He has received a believing expectancy which makes him both watch and wait. He expects that the Lord Jesus will come a second time, and that speedily. He has read of his going up. into heaven, and he believes it; and he knows that he will so come in like manner as he went up into heaven. For the second advent he looks with calm hope: he does not know when it may be, but he keeps. himself on the watch as a servant who waits his lord's return. He hopes it may be today, he would not wonder if it were tomorrow, for he is always looking for and hasting unto the coming of the Son of God. The coming of the Lord is his expected reward. He does not expect to be rewarded by men, or even to be rewarded of God with temporal things in this life, for he has set his affection upon things yet to be revealed, things eternal and infinite."
Spurgeon

TEXT: 1 THESSALONIANS 1
SONG: GOOD GRACE, LIFE CENTER CHURCH
HYMN OF HEAVEN: PHIL WICKHAM
BLESSED ASSURANCE: JEREMY RIDDLE

“There are two things that every human being absolutely must come to understand -  the holiness of God and the sinfulness of man. These topics are difficult for people to face but they go together: if we understand who God is, and catch a glimpse of His majesty, purity, and holiness, then we are instantly aware of the extent of our own corruption. When that happens, we fly to grace—because we recognize that there’s no way that we could ever stand before God apart from grace.”   R. C Sproul

We do not seek a license to sin. We seek the transforming regeneration of our salvation. We are new creatures in Christ, no longer at home in this world but constantly in tension with it. What we seek is for the periods and times of sin to diminish and give rise to spiritual rest as we walk according to the Spirit of our redemption. 

"Joshua directs their choice in this matter by an open declaration of his own resolutions: "But as for me and my house, whatever you do, we will serve the Lord, and I hope you will all be of the same mind." Matthew Henry 

There will be a day when all will bow before Him There will be a day when death will be no more, Standing face to face with He who died and rose again Holy, holy is the Lord
And on that day, we join the Resurrection And stand beside the heroes of the faith
With one voice, a thousand generations Sing, "Worthy is the lamb who was slain"

TODAY WE MUST CHOOSE! FOR THERE IS COMING A DAY...  That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2

SONGS:
FAITH OF OUR FATHERS; FOUNTAIN VIEW ACADEMY
WHEN IT'S ALL BEEN SAID AND DONE; ROBIN MARK
HYMN OF HEAVEN; PHIL WICKHAM

 
 

The new nation of Israel was meant to have a justice system focused on mercy. Families would appoint a 'ga-al', translated 'avenger, redeemer, near kinsmen', to seek justice when families were wronged. Six cities were set out across the nation where grace could be found at the gates. The avenger could not enter here; only a trial could release the seeker of grace.
The cities of refuge picture life in the kingdom of God. The idea of manslaughter versus murder is the contrast between the sinner who seeks forgiveness and the calloused rebel who doesn't seem to care that Jesus died in our place. Though it is God who is wronged and Jesus, the appointed avenger, Jesus suffered outside the gate on our behalf, so we could find grace at the gates. 

SONGS: God, You're So Good,  NLC Worship
His Mercy Is More, Shane & Shane
How Marvelous, Austin Stone Worship