2 Thessalonians: Worthy of the KIngdom
COMMUNITY GUIDE
The Community Guide below is based on Sunday’s teaching for our series: The Book of 2 Thessalonians. As your whole Community gathers (online or in-person), use the Community Guide below to give shape to your time together.
Begin by Practicing the Lord’s Supper Together (5 minutes)
Begin your night by partaking of the bread and the cup together. Have each person bring their own Communion elements or provide elements for the group. To facilitate your time, you can either ask a member of your Community to come ready with a short prayer, scripture reading, or assign someone to read the Apostles Creed we’ve provided below. For those of you that may not be familiar with the Apostles Creed, it is a proclamation of faith that has been recited throughout the years and has often been used as an act of worship and reflection prior to receiving the Lord’s Supper. It is a proclamation of what we as followers of Jesus believe. After reading this ancient creed (aloud), spend a moment in silence before continuing:
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day, he rose again from the dead. He ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty. From there he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church (universal Christian church), the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
CHECK-IN (10 MINUTES)
As we focus on this series, we want to continue to create space for checking in on each other but doing so in a shorter amount of time. Take a few minutes to do a whole person check-in (emotional, spiritual, physical) with your Community, creating space for each person to answer the question below:
What is one way that we can pray for you? It could pertain to either your emotional, physical, or spiritual well-being.
If the need arises, spend a few minutes praying for one another, asking God to meet needs and help each person carry what feels heavy right now.
Read this overview:
This Sunday, Christian kicked off our study of 2 Thessalonians, which Paul & his companions likely wrote within a year of 1 Thessalonians. Paul started this second letter by encouraging the believers in Thessalonica that they are still on the right track, even though they were experiencing an increase in persecution and suffering. In spite of their hardships, they were growing in faith, in love, and in steadfastness (or endurance).
Paul assured the Thessalonians that their suffering was not a sign of God’s punishment or displeasure with them. Quite the contrary! The way that they were flourishing in spite of their suffering was evidence that God’s judgment was already at work in their lives—with the result that they will be considered worthy of the Kingdom of God when it comes in its fullness, because they were already learning to live under God’s good rule in their present lives.
QUESTIONS (20 Minutes)
In v. 3, Paul said that “the love of every one of you for one another is increasing.” In other words, there weren’t just a few shining examples of love in the Thessalonians church. The church had a reputation for loving one another well because every person got in the game. Consider your group—and your personal involvement in your group: how are each of you seeking to love and serve each member of your group? Are there ways you can demonstrate love for one another this week (needs to meet, ways to pray for each other, spend time together, etc.)?
In v. 4, Paul encouraged the Thessalonians for how they were enduring in the midst of their suffering. When we encounter difficulty or trials, it is normal to want to escape—to look for a way out, or to only focus our hope on when the trial will end. But scripture is clear that teaching us to persevere through trials is one of the most powerful ways that God refines and grows our character to make us more like Jesus (see Rom. 5:3-5; James 1:2-4; 1 Pet. 1:6-7). Are there any situations in your life right now in which you need encouragement to persevere? Take time to pray for one another for steadfastness and growth in the midst of trials.
Christian described the Kingdom of God as an “already, not yet” reality: By repentance and belief in Jesus, we can already begin to live under the good, life-giving rule of God (Mark 1:15), even as we await the fullness of God’s kingdom to come in the future (Rev. 11:15-18). Where do you want to see the good rule of Jesus come to bear today (in your life or in the broader world)? What excites you most about the fullness of God’s kingdom in the future?
Missionary Practice For The Week Ahead: BLESS (10 Minutes)
If you do at least one of these practices every day, you will not only become more like Jesus, but you will help others find Jesus too! In your time together as a community, ask the questions, “Who did you BLESS this week? This time of sharing will keep the Great Commission at the forefront of who we are called to be as followers of Jesus. It will also provide the opportunity to celebrate and encourage one another on the journey.
ᐅ B.L.E.S.S.
(B)egin with Prayer:
Pray for the people in your life and the places that you’re in.
People: Who do you live, work and play with that is far from God? Pray that God would create spiritual curiosity in them, and then spend time with them.
Places:
Where does pain exist here? Pray for healing.
Who makes the decisions here? Pray for integrity.
Who throws parties here? Pray for community.
Where are the pennies spent here? Pray for provision.
(L)isten:
Listen to and discover the needs of others and for the places where God is at work.
Before you can help others find Jesus, you need to listen to them first - their hopes, pains, challenges and dreams. In your interactions with others today, take the posture of a learner. Lay down assumptions and practice being present in conversations.
(E)at:
Share meals, drink coffee, and spend time with people in your life that don’t yet know Jesus.
Who can you eat with (or have coffee with) that is far from God? A co-worker over lunch? A neighbor during the day? A friend or family member over the weekend?
Is there a place that you regularly visit (coffee shop, gym, etc.)? Ask God to grant you opportunities to eat with people.
(S)erve:
Who can you serve this week? Who do you know that has a practical need? Ask them how you can help.
Before jumping into serving, have you taken the time to pray for, listen to and eat with these people? Doing these things first helps you discover the way that you really need to serve them.
(S)tory:
Share the story of Jesus and what He is doing in your life with others.
Start by sharing how God has blessed you and made a difference in your life.
Share your story in such a way that demonstrates that Jesus is also at work in their life.
Don’t feel like you have to tell your life story at once. Think “bite-size” stories.
Prayer (10 Minutes)
Spend a few minutes praying for God’s grace over each other, that we might become a people who make Jesus our Lord, and that there might be a sweeping renewal of the Holy Spirit in our city. Ask that God would stir up within us a desire to be with him in prayer and to serve him, one another, and our neighbor in love.