1 Thessalonians – Faith, Love, and Hope in Action, Pt 2
COMMUNITY GUIDE
The Community Guide below is based on Sunday’s teaching for our new series: 1 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:
“Faith, Love, and Hope in Action, Pt 2” | Todd Nighswonger, Elder & Lead Pastor
Synopsis: Last week, we learned that God intends to “build up” his people (5:11). The way in which he intends to do so is through the work of his people in local churches (5:12-15). And the outcome of that work of the church is that God’s people will “be at peace” (5:13), or live as God intends them. The source and power for this work of the church is not found in themselves, but this peace will come from “the God of peace himself” as he sanctifies us “completely” (5:23). He will make us able to do so, not based upon our faithfulness to the task, but because he “is faithful; he will surely do it” (5:24).
This week, we learned that Paul presented a prescribed way for this peace to occur among them. It was through the church’s regular gathering to speak to God (5:16-18; rejoicing, praying, and giving thanks) and to hear from him (5:19-22; prophesying). The regular rhythm of speaking and listening to God maintains peace and protects us from drifting away from being the people that God intends us to be.
QUESTIONS (20 Minutes)
Have you ever thought about how regularly rejoicing, praying, and giving thanks with other Christians helps you to be sanctified or made more and more into the person God intends you to be? Take some time to wrestle as a group through how each of these rhythms of regular corporate worship (rejoicing, praying, and giving thanks) accomplishes this sanctifying work.
Todd helped us understand how prophecy is much more than simply predicting the future. Instead, more importantly, God has given prophecy to his people (both his old and new covenant people) to correct, protect, remind, and comfort them. What happens to churches when we quench the Spirit and despise, or willfully ignore, prophecies (God’s correction, protection, reminders, and comfort for his people)?
What is the danger of accepting any prophecy without testing, or validating them? Why is it so important that we test them using God’s Word (or, as Todd talked about it, the Old Testament, and the teachings of Jesus and the Apostles; see Acts 17:11 for an example)?
Todd talked about how prophecies (correction, protection, reminder, and comfort) were used by God to speak into specific issues, at specific times, and to specific people. So, prophecy wasn’t just for God’s people of the past, but we need it today. When we regularly gather to worship, do you listen to who is preaching so that you might hear where we need to be corrected, protected, reminded, or comforted? In what ways would we be a different spiritual family if all of us were more intent to do so?
How does 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 relate to 5:16-22? Finish your meeting discussing the faithfulness of God regarding the regular gathering of God’s people.
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.