Persevere to the End

Life Together in Community

Laura giving birth to Scarlett

expectancy and hope

unavoidable pain of labor

A sobering result

God’s Judgement Declared (5:1-3)

God never planned for us to know when Jesus is coming.

But He has revealed to us that Jesus is coming. We are not given a date on the calendar but we are given a promise - Jesus is back.

Mark Howell

Exalting Jesus in 1 & 2 Thessalonians (A Solemn Warning (1 Thess 5:1–2))

An indifferent church lacks motivation and a panicked church lacks peace. However, an expectant church is filled with passion. That is exactly the means by which God designed the church to pursue its mission—with passion and expectancy........ When we stop worrying about tomorrow, we are truly liberated to live for today.

2 sides to the day of the Lord

The unbeliever (2-3)

Amos 5:18-20 “18 Woe to you who desire the day of the Lord! Why would you have the day of the Lord? It is darkness, and not light, 19 as if a man fled from a lion, and a bear met him, or went into the house and leaned his hand against the wall, and a serpent bit him. 20 Is not the day of the Lord darkness, and not light, and gloom with no brightness in it?”

The day of the Lord will be severe for the ungodly

There will be no where to run, no where to hide.

no peace, no comfort

There will be terror and pain at every corner.

The unbeliever giving birth

expectancy and hope - in the temporary - money, vacation, feeling good by doing good, looking to the weekend to get drunk or high.

unavoidable pain of labor - The labor pains will come quickly and suddenly. The will be unexpected and as a result they will be unprepared. They will experience panic and overwhelming stress.

A sobering result - They will meet God’s judgment. In that day, they will see that God is just. He has never turned a blind eye towards sin, He is aware of everything that has ever happened and He will judge according to His perfect and pure law.

Walking the Fence -

Danger in hearing this

misconceptions of God

angry God who just wants to punish people

how could a loving God send people to hell?

All of biblical history points to God loving people, restoring people, and doing a good work in them.

Genesis 1-2

Romans 5:8 “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

John 3:17-18 “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.”

God is not angry just looking to punish people, God is a loving God, and there will be a day in which He does send people to hell. Because He is also just.

He has given ample opportunity. His presence is redeeming and restorative to the human soul. God has always moved closer to man as man has pushed God away.

Psalm 16:11 “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

A.W. Tozer - Sound Bible exposition is an imperative must in the church of the living God. Without it, no church can be a New Testament church in any strict meaning of the term. But exposition may be carried on in such a way as to leave the hearers devoid of any true spiritual nourishment whatsoever. For it is not mere words that nourish the soul, but God Himself; and unless and until the hearers find God in personal experience, they are not better for having heard the truth. The Bible is not an end in itself, but a means to bring men to an intimate and satisfying knowledge of God, that they may enter into Him, that they may delight in His presence, may taste and know the inner sweetness of the very God Himself.

Believer’s Called to Respond (4-8)

Walk in the light (4-5)

John 1:4-5 “In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

Live with purpose (6-8) - Purpose of man to Glorify God (Isa. 43:7)

Psalm 100:2-3 “Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! 3 Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.”

The believer giving birth

expectancy and hope - Because I have received Jesus as my personal savior. Because I belong to Him in every way, not because of who I am, what I did, or what I can do. But because Jesus died on the cross, taking my sin, He says I can be in heaven with Him. So I expectantly look forward to life with Him.

unavoidable pain of labor - I know there will be unavoidable pain in this life. That there will be times and seasons of grief, despair, and pain. But there will be a day when Jesus returns, and on that day I will experience a new life.

Revelation 21:4 “4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.””

A sobering result - This wicked sinner, will get to enter the gates of heaven because of who Jesus is and what Jesus has done.

Deliverance in Jesus (9-11)

Those who have put their trust and faith and Jesus can look forward with eager anticipation to the coming of Christ.

Those who have not put their trust in Jesus, when they die or when Jesus returns, they will experience an eternal separation from the presence and love of God. For them it will be a day of calamity.

But praise God, that He desires all people to come to Him. That Jesus didn't just die for one person or for a certain people group. Jesus died for anyone who would stop playing god of their own life and recognize their deep need for Him.

It doesn't matter what you have done, what you have said, or where you come from.

God’s desire is to have a personal relationship with you. In that relationship, He wants to heal what is hurting, restore what is broken, purify what is corrupt.

Hebrews 7:25 “Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.”

There has never been a man, woman, or child who is too far gone. God is greater than your sin, His glory shines so bright that darkness cannot flee fast enough. God draws near to all who call on His name.

Perhaps you have tried living your life the way you want. You have always looked with eager expectation to what is next because it is exciting, when you get there, you will experience breakthrough in your life, you will be able to start living the way you want. You will feel fulfilled. Friends, there is nothing in this world that will fulfill your souls desire. There is nothing you can accomplish that will remove the fear of inadequacy. No matter what you accomplish or overcome, there will always be a sense that there is something more to this life.

John 3:16-17 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”

Jesus is the answer.