1 Thessalonians – Holiness: Walking in a way that Pleases God
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 time 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 read the passage we’ve provided below. After reading (aloud), spend a moment in silence before continuing:
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” - Matthew 26: 26-30
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 you saw the Lord faithful in your life last week? What is one prayer request you have for the week ahead?
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:
“Holiness: Walking in a Way that Pleases God” | Christian Burkhardt, Elder & Equipping Pastor
Synopsis: In 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8, Paul reminds us of our holy calling to conduct our lives in a way that pleases God (v. 1) and reflects his character to those around us (v. 12). In particular, Paul talks about what it means to pursue holiness in our sexual conduct. God’s good design for human sexuality is for the pleasure and union of one man and one woman within the covenant of marriage (Gen. 2:1-2; Prov. 5:15-19; 1 Cor. 7:1-5; Heb. 13:4). As sinful humans, we all experience sexual desires and temptations that go against God’s good design (v. 5; James 1:14). But thanks be to God, he has given the Holy Spirit to us (v. 8) to cleanse us from sexual sin (1 Cor. 6:9-12) and to guide us toward sexual holiness in three ways:
To abstain from “sexual immorality” (v. 3), which is a broad term referring to all sexual activity outside of God’s design for marriage between one man and one woman (and even includes ways that husbands and wives can sin against each other within their marriage).
To learn to control our bodies and sexual desires in holiness and honor (v. 4).
To not sin against each other but grow in genuine, holy love for our brothers and sisters in Christ, as we’ll see in next Sunday’s passage (vv. 9-12).
QUESTIONS (20 Minutes)
Note to leaders: Given the sensitive nature of the topic, it might be wise to break into smaller discussion groups by gender (men with men, women with women). The goal is to create a safe environment for honest discussion, confession, prayer, and encouragement. But make sure not to put pressure on anyone who is not comfortable sharing. If an urgent issue comes up in one of the groups, don’t hesitate to reach out to one of the pastors or elders to assist you.
In v. 4, Paul calls each one of us to know (or learn) to control our bodies in holiness and honor. If this applies to each one of us, where do you see your need to learn sexual self-control? Are there areas of your life where you have already seen growth in sexual self-control? Keep in mind that self-control is part of the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:23), so don’t forget to praise him for how you’ve grown and to ask him for continued growth.
In Galatians 6:1-2, Paul speaks about how we are to help someone who is caught or struggling with their sin: In dependence upon the Holy Spirit, we seek to restore them in a spirit of gentleness, while also watching out for temptation ourselves (whether that’s temptation to engage in the same sin, or the temptation to be prideful, judgmental, or engage in gossip about someone else’s struggle, etc.). How does this passage help you think through how to support each other going forward?
Finally, in calling us to pursue sexual holiness, Paul also directs us to put our hope in God, who will “establish our hearts blameless in holiness…at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (3:18; also 5:23-24). How does this promise give you hope right now, even as you continue to battle with sexual temptation?
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.