Rejoice!

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Message 1 Thes5.12-18

Have you ever wondered what our Purpose is?

As many of you are growing up into Amazing young men and women, if you have not already, you will ask yourself, What am I supposed to do, and more importantly How am I supposed to do it?

Paul gives us some very good wisdom in this.

Who knows what Wisdom Is?

The Lexham Bible Dictionary Wisdom

WISDOM Biblical wisdom refers to practical skills associated with understanding and living a successful life.

Story of Thessalonica

Acts 17:1–5 NIV

1 When Paul and his companions had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. 2 As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and proving that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead. “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah,” he said. 4 Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few prominent women. 5 But other Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason’s house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd.

Okay so here is what happened, Paul who is already going from place to place telling people about Jesus comes to Thessalonica.

He does what he always did, He went to Synagogue and started talking to people about Jesus! He did this for 3 weeks in a row!

Some people really did not like this. So they just got really angry and rioted, but many of the people who heard Paul speak totally believed him.

Actually they believed him so passionately that they thought Jesus was coming back....like tomorrow. So they all quit their jobs and just started waiting for Jesus to come.

Paul heard about this and he wrote them this letter to encourage them and to teach them a bit more…because remember he was only there for three weeks!

What Did Paul say to them?

1 Thessalonians 5:14–18 NIV

14 And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 15 Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else. 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

What does that mean?

Paul is telling them that believing in Jesus, causes us to be different.

See, remember that when people didn’t like what Paul was saying to them, they got really angry and started destroying things and hurting other people.

Sometimes when we don’t get our way, that doesn’t feel nice does it?

Sometimes when our brothers or sisters do mean things to us, it makes us want to do mean things to them.

Paul is telling us that instead of doing mean things back to people who do mean things to us, that we do good things to them!

He tells us to help the people around us who are struggling.

Have any of you ever had a Classmate or Friend who is struggling in School?

Tell story about helping at Power School

Paul tells us that because of Jesus and what He has done for us, that we should be celebrating ALL THE TIME! Like what we are going to do today!

Did you know that Paul would have been praying three times a day? Everyday, morning, noon and night!

Paul is saying because of all this, because of what Jesus has done for us, because we can live like people who love our neighbours as ourselves this should lead us to be thankful in every circumstance!

He even goes on to say that having this heart, the heart that does good to those that do bad to us, a heart that celebrates ALL THE TIME, a heart that takes time to pray regularly and that gives thanks in every opportunity.

This is the heart that Jesus wants for you!

How will you respond?

Jesus has always called us as His followers and even more so as His brothers and sisters to live in a way that makes other people feel good! Jesus loves you all and He wants you to be like Paul, go tell other people that Jesus loves them too and you can prove that Jesus loves them by loving them yourself!

Closing Prayer

Have someone come and pray.