1 Thessalonians 5:23-25

1 Thessalonians 5:23-25

“That God calls here is in the present tense, stressing that God does not merely call Christians once and then leave them on their own. Instead He continues to call the followers of Christ to salvation. But it is important to note that the life of faith is not a striving for more. Rather, it is living more fully in what has already been given, knowing that even efforts to live more appropriately as saints depend upon God who sanctifies. The morality of the Bible is always ‘be who you are’, as we are called to daily work out the reality of our salvation.”

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1 Thessalonians 5:19-22

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1 Thessalonians 5:19-22

“There is no biblical evidence at all for the cessation of prophecy. A fact that has not gone unnoticed by modern biblical scholars. Instead of a biblical basis, many today base their beliefs about modern prophesy on the problematic history of prophesy — its abuse — and arrive at a sort of practical cessationism. Let me remind you, and remind myself this morning, that we are to believe what the Bible says, and not what we think it says. When we look at the NT scriptures and say ‘that is not for today’, we play a very dangerous game…We should recognize that prophesy has always been problematic from the very beginning. Later it was a massive issue in the church or Corinth, but even here in the earliest of Paul’s letters, there is evidence that false prophecy was already taking place in the church. And the apostolic instruction is not some practical application of human wisdom, but a consistent divine command of not to forbid or despise prophesy…”

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

“Now, let me begin by giving praise to God, that his expressed will, the moral requirements to which he calls his people, is as wonderful as rejoicing, thanksgiving, and intimate communication, trusting in the goodness of God towards us in both plan and action. These are commands which reflect the amazing position of grace in which God has placed us through the finished work of Christ Jesus. It is like if someone rich and powerful gave you a credit card with no limit, on the one condition that you enjoy yourself and call on them if you run into any trouble. And that extreme example doesn’t even begin to compare to the joyous position we have in Christ. What God commands is always aligned with your greatest joy and fulfillment, and all of what God forbids is of letting ourselves be sidetracked by seeking contentment in lesser joys.”

Mark 14:26-52

Mark 14:26-52

“Finally, Gethsemane proves, it proves — that Christ crucified is the only way to God. Christian, it does not get any clearer than this: When Jesus prayed: ‘Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.’ (Mark 14:36) Jesus asked The One, of whom all things are possible, if there was any other way to unite sinners back to God other than through the cross, and we see that God answered him: ‘No, this is the only way.’ Therefore we can be sure, Jesus is the way the truth and the life no one can come to the Father except through him (John 14:6). So, it is only by the blood of Jesus that the utterly impossible can happen - that unholy man can stand in the presence of all holy God and remain.”

1 Thessalonians 5:15

1 Thessalonians 5:15

“If God himself sets the example for our behavior, it is also God’s mercy towards us that motivates and empowers our reciprocation. In the cross of Christ, God carried out the greatest act of mercy towards the undeserving, and at the same time executed severe and uncompromising justice upon the sins of humanity. Now you might ask: How can I reciprocate the mercy of God? Which is a good question, since Christ will never be in need of your kindness, gentleness, patience, and especially not your mercy. But Jesus regularly directly linked the treatment of his body, the church, with the way that we are treating him : ‘...as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ (Matthew 25:40)

The way we treat the image bearers of Christ — no matter how poorly they reflect that image at times — is literally how we are treating the one who gave his life for us.”

Psalm 46

Psalm 46

1 God is our refuge and strength,
    a very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth give way,
    though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam,
    though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah

4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
    the holy habitation of the Most High.
5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;
    God will help her when morning dawns.
6 The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;
    he utters his voice, the earth melts.
7 The Lord of hosts is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

8 Come, behold the works of the Lord,
    how he has brought desolations on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
    he breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
    he burns the chariots with fire.
10 “Be still, and know that I am God.
    I will be exalted among the nations,
    I will be exalted in the earth!”
11 The Lord of hosts is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

1 Thessalonians 5:14

1 Thessalonians 5:14

“…Paul lays the responsibility for the whole community on the community itself. Each member, and not the leaders alone, must be aware of his or her responsibility for others and seek to help them. At no stage can the ordinary member lean back and say or think, ‘This is the task of the leaders alone.’ Paul knows nothing of an inert mass, the congregation, on which the ministry operates…In short, Paul is trying to develop in the entire congregation a sense of pastoral responsibility…”

Romans 3:21-26

Romans 3:21-26

“…The multifaceted plan of redemption doesn’t just have you at the centre of all that God does. God has never been under any obligation to Man, the creature. Would you be offended at me if I told you that God, before the creation of the world, needed nothing? That Father, Son and Holy Spirit were satisfied in their eternal existence. That it was only out of the overflow of love that God chose to create mankind. That he wasn’t obligated then, or even now, to Men. That the theatre of history is designed to maximize the glory of God…”

1 Thessalonians 5:12-13

1 Thessalonians 5:12-13

“The peace that the apostle has in mind is not merely the absence of conflict… but the presence of positive, healthy relationships. These do not come as a result of superficial harmony, where we are nice to each other and coexist without open conflict, but genuine peace is the result of following the guidelines of Matthew 18:15 and going to those who sin or offend us in loving confrontation. We Canadians so highly value the kinds “niceness” and “politeness” that take us far afield from genuine kindness and peace which are fruits of the Spirit …People who do not “care enough to confront” are no more loving than leaders who will not admonish.”

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