Sermons About Proof-text
We Study to Assist the Working of God - Part 1
Please note this is a two part sermon... Paul brought a great deal of comfort to the Christians in Thessalonica with this letter. Yet one way in which comfort was brought to the Thessalonians (their lives proved it, as did their suffering) should startle us in America. We don't suffer for being Christians here (outside of extremely isolated instances). What has the church throughout the history of the world endured? What do many endure today? We ignore the plight of our brothers and sisters in Christ to the detriment of the Kingdom.
0 Amens
We Study to Assist the Working of God - Part 2
Please note this is a two part sermon... Paul brought a great deal of comfort to the Christians in Thessalonica with this letter. Yet one way in which comfort was brought to the Thessalonians (their lives proved it, as did their suffering) should startle us in America. We don't suffer for being Christians here (outside of extremely isolated instances). What has the church throughout the history of the world endured? What do many endure today? We ignore the plight of our brothers and sisters in Christ to the detriment of the Kingdom.
0 Amens
We Study to Remember
What goes through the mind of an apostle? We can never know for certain - aside aside from what is written in the Bible that is. Yet what we have in the Bible is only "half" of the conversation. In other words, we think so much more than we speak or write. Yet by looking at the text of 1 Thessalonians, taking insights from the historical background of the first century, and considering information contained in the book of Acts, we can deduce some concerns Paul may have had about the young "church" in Thessalonica.
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We Study To Be An Example
Context is King. If we ignore context we can make the Bible say anything we want. For example, I can command you to do something most think is an "un-Christian" thing to do - all by using Scripture...“Judas went out and hanged himself; do likewise, and what you do, do quickly” (Matt27:5b; Lk3:11; Jn13:27b). All from Scripture; obviously not godly activity - context is vital. How does context impact what Paul writes in the opening chapter of 1 Thessalonians?
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