For the last sermon of the 1 Thessalonians series, we will focus on the tension that all Christians experience: are we sinners or saints? Indeed, our identity is rooted in Christ, but Scripture continually describes us as both sinners who need to combat sin and saints who have been saved by the gospel of Jesus Christ…

Paul concludes 1 Thessalonians with a series of exhortations. Some of these might seem random or disconnected, so we will expand on them over the course of two or three sermons. This week's sermon will focus on the importance of sermons. Why do we devote so much of our worship service to sermons? Especially in our current context where any talk that goes longer than 10 minutes can be a struggle and where there is such a plurality of opinions, sermons might seem archaic and narrow-minded…

As we approach the final chapter of 1 Thessalonians, we will begin the sermon reflecting upon some of the key blessings from the letter: (1) the reality that not only is God incredibly gracious and loving by sending his one and only Son to die for us, but even our ability to respond and believe in this is by God's grace (1.2-10); (2) because we are in Christ, God's heart toward us is like a parent who longs for his children (2.7, 11); (3) God is the one who will guarantee that all those who are in Christ will abound in love and grow in holiness (3.11-4.12); and (4) because we are in Christ, we have hope that we will be glorified on the day of resurrection, which gives us assurance even as we experience our daily struggles (4.13-18)!

In this week's passage, Paul addresses one of the primary concerns of the Thessalonians. The Thessalonians were grieving because they were unsure of what happened to those who passed away. Will they somehow be neglected when Jesus returns?

Last week, one of you raised a wonderful question that we were unable to answer, but which is the topic of today's passage. How do we know if we are relying on ourselves or on God? How are we to maintain the balance of being responsible, and yet rely on God? These questions are supremely important not only for the Christian but even for the broader secular society. With the prevalence of evolutionary theory during this new scientific age, many are wondering if free will is a mere illusion…

Many times in our walks with Jesus, we wonder what we need to do in order to grow? How can we become more loving? How can we become more blameless and holy? There are certainly moments when these questions are helpful, but only insofar as we remember an answer to a far more important question? Who is the one ultimately responsible for our growth? God is!

I remember when my first-born, Jude, was dropped off at daycare for the first time. A part of me was overwhelmed with anxiety because I thought that Jude was going into daycare too early. Maybe his immune system wasn't strong enough? Maybe he is at the point of separation anxiety so he won't be able to adjust? As much as we tried to prepare him for the big transition, he could not stop wailing the moment that I tried to drop him off. He would not let go and I have never heard him cry so loudly or desperately. Yet I know that the right thing for me to do was for me to walk away…

Have you ever wondered if it is worth living your entire life based on the gospel of Jesus Christ? Or that the gospel is actually making an impact in your everyday life? Or that you are walking faithfully in light of what all Jesus has done for you in the gospel? Many of us, especially in 2020, might have had these questions…

As we have been repeatedly reminded throughout the past few years, all of life comes down to whether we sin (distort, suppress, or reject God's character and involvement) or we worship (recognize, submit to, and celebrate God's character and involvement). Left to ourselves, we are hopelessly enslaved to sinful tendencies. This, then, leads to other symptoms of sin: relational conflict, anger problems, gossip, lack of self-control, greed, etc…