Sermon Notes

The Second Coming of Jesus
I Thessalonians 4:13-5:11 | Pastor Terry Wilcox

What about believers who die before He comes?
I Thessalonians 4:13-18
a. To the Hebrew all of history was divided into two stages: the and the age to .
”The Day of the Lord” will mark the beginning.
b. The Thessalonians were wrong and therefore they suffered .
When will Jesus return?
I Thessalonians 5:1-3
Greek eschaton means .
a. “A thief in the night” does not mean Jesus is . It means people will be .
b. Those not prepared will be .
How do we ?
a. Be people of . I Thessalonians 3:5
b. Be a living . I Peter 2:4-5

Personal Notes

Paul Needed Friends…and So Do We
I Thessalonians 3:1-13 | Pastor Terry Wilcox

Paul was “A man of steel and velvet”

His effort to strengthen their and encourage their – I Thessalonians 3:1-4
”Encourage” is translation of the Greek “parakeleo” which was used by Jesus
I Thessalonians 3:1-2 alludes to Paul’s “velvet”

I Thessalonians 3:3-4 – Is it a burden or a cross?
John 16:33
Romans 8:28
Paul’s primary concern was for his friends’ spiritual – I Thessalonians 3:5-8
Beware of the tempter – Matthew 4:3; Genesis 3; Acts 5:3; I Peter 5:8; James 1:13-15
Their was visible
Their was his – I Thessalonians 3:9-10
God is the and sustainer of life in the Christian community.
Paul’s prayer for his friends – I Thessalonians 3:11-13
Prayer pulls Christians .
In I Thessalonians 3:11 the Greek word for “direct” is singular (so what?).
I Thessalonians 3:12 the Greek “agape” is love.
In scripture the “heart” is reference to our capacity to think, , and make decisions.
Holiness is to be by God for His service.
It is to live our lives so as to reflect God’s glory, rather than conforming to the ways of the world.
Romans 12:1-2

Personal Notes

The God of Little
Mark 6:41 | Pastor Dan Bystrom

He took it.
1. He must have – that’s where miracle start.
2. The most decisive thing is to give Him of our being.
He gave thanks and it.
1. When He blesses, He infuses .
2. Ephesians 1:8 tells us He us with every spiritual blessing.
3. That little boy’s lunch was .
He it.
1. We have to be broken away from .
2. We have to be broken away from to the world.
He it.
1. It’s all in the verb tense!
2. He gives , , , and over and over.
Little Fears:
False
Evaluations
Accepted as
Real
Little faith? Do you trust Him?
Forsaking
All
I
Trust
Him

Personal Notes

The Biggest Thing God Ever Did
Acts 1:4; 4:29-31; John 3:16 | Pastor Jon Betz

Greatest Things God Ever Did

Sending His Son to redeem us.

Loving us to forgive and save us.

Choosing to include us in His plan and purpose.

Conclusion: What do we need to do?

O God, Give Us Trustworthy Leaders
I Thessalonians 2:1-20 | Pastor Terry Wilcox

Imagine being Paul.
Acts 16:16-17:9

There is opposition to “God’s gospel.” I Thessalonians 2:1-2
Regardless of Satan’s opposition, people will .
I Thessalonians 2:1, Acts 17:4-5
Tests for the . I Thessalonians 2:3-6
a. Show me the chapter and verse.
b. What’s their I Thessalonians 2:3
Have they deceived others?
c. Who are they seeking to ? I Thessalonians 2:4
d. Are they using flattery as a ? I Thessalonians 2:5
The is costly, are they ?
a. Caring like a , motivating like a . I Thessalonians 2:7-12
b. Do they ? I Thessalonians 2:9
God our hearts because: I Thessalonians 2:4
a. we will explore what is in our heart. Deuteronomy 8:2
b. he wants to us. Psalm 66:10
c. it develops . James 1:22-25

Personal Notes

Do We Have A Choice?
I Thessalonians 1:4-10 | Pastor Terry Wilcox

How Do You Balance the Sovereignty of God Versus Our Free Will?

God chose the Thessalonians. I Thessalonians 1:4
Election, predestined, foreknew, and whosoever will have sparked debates for centuries.
a. Adoption is the gracious choice of parents. Ephesians 1:5-6
b. Being chosen provides assurance and . John 1:12-13
Transformation is of the power of the Holy Spirit. II Corinthians 5:17
a. Their lifestyles were becoming counter-.
Idol worship, sexual perversion, and persecution surrounded these new followers of Jesus.
b. God provided role models and . I Thessalonians 1:5-6
you have such? you such?
How do we respond to Jesus? I Thessalonians 1:8-10
Yes, the Thessalonian church was almost 2,000 years ago, but hasn’t changed.
a. They were known for .
Apologist or not, we all have a .
b. They left their to serve God.
I’ve known two attorneys who made major changes because of Jesus.

Don’t stress over God’s choice, embrace Him and for His glory.

Personal Notes

An Introduction to Thessalonians
I Thessalonians 1:1-3 | Pastor Terry Wilcox

The first of Paul’s 13 letters, written in A.D.

Thessalonica was Therma due to .
In 315 B.C. Alexander the Great renamed it.
It was referred to as the bridge between the and the .

I Thessalonians 1:1 – His greeting is different than his other letters.
a. It’s .
b. “Grace and peace” are used together times in the New Testament.
c. I Thessalonians 1:2 – They give thanks for .
Zephaniah 3:17 NKJV
Galatians 5:26-29 NKJV
Paul’s first use of Greek, “ekklesia” –
“A gathering of citizens called by a herald from their homes to a public gathering.”
The translation of Hebrew to Greek about 250 B.C. is called the “septuagint” because it was the work of . It was “ekklesia” to denote an assembly of the .
a. Paul appropriates the term by referring specifically to these “In the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
b. The picture of God as is central to Christianity.
They are noted for:
a. Faith-producing . James 2:14-20
b. Love that .
c. Hope that inspires . Romans 5:3-5

The Thessalonian Christ-followers were persecuted.
Christ-followers today are persecuted.
God the Father is also the same.
Hebrews 13:8

Personal Notes

Taming the Emotional Rollercoaster
Judges 6:1-10 | Pastor Terry Wilcox

Context: Judges 6:1-10
This is major, considering Exodus 20:2-4

Everyone experiences fear.
Judges 6:14
Does it make a difference if God is ?

God makes a promise. – Judges 6:16
Gideon responds with . – Judges 6:18-21
God makes Gideon a second promise. – Judges 6:23
(This sounds like Jesus to Martha in John 11:21-26)
Gideon responds with . – Judges 6:24-26
Gideon’s “rollercoaster” takes a dip. – Judges 6:27
Gideon follows God’s plan, is victorious, and Israel enjoys 40 years of peace. – Judges 8:28
Gideon’s success came when he:
a. accepted God’s
b. destroyed the
c. purged his army of
d. adopted God’s planHowever, the rollercoaster continued. – Judges 8:33-34

The emotional rollercoaster is tamed by trusting Jesus and following his plan.

One of Satan’s insidious lies that creates needless fear regards the assurance of salvation.
A threefold confirmation:

The trustworthy Word
The confirming Holy Spirit
The changed life
I John 5:10-13

Personal Notes

Independence Through Proclamation
Habakkuk 3:3-15Pastor Terry Wilcox

On July 4th, Americans celebrated their actions to proclaim their independence from Great Britain.

God’s past actions proclaim God’s deliverance. – Habakkuk 3:3-7
God’s future actions predict His coming. – Habakkuk 3:8-15

Hallelujah !!

Independence through !

Personal Notes

Faith Versus Pride
Habakkuk 2:2-20
Pastor Terry Wilcox

“The just shall live by faith” is written four times in scripture:
- Habakkuk 2:4
- Romans 1:17
- Galatians 3:11
- Hebrews 10:38

Habakkuk 2:4-8

The Babylonians’ pride was insidious.
God contrasts pride with “living by faith.”

Pride is and arrogance.
Proverbs 16:18
James 4:6
- At its core, pride dismisses in favor of .
Faith is trust and on God.
Hebrews 11:1
Proverbs 3:5
John 20:28
Pride
1. Leads to and humiliation
  In Habakkuk 2:4-20, five times it says “” to the Babylonians
  – Proverbs 29:23
  – Isaiah 2:11
2. Pride separates people from God
3. Examples of Pride
  – Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 4:30-31)
  – The Pharisee (Luke 18:11-12)
4. Pride is (beguiling)
  – Humanity can take pride in anything – or .
  – Consider Habakkuk’s complaint and his description of the Babylonians. Neither were God.
  – The sin of pride is universal.
Faith
1. Faith leads to salvation and
  – Ephesians 2:8-9
  – Genesis 15:6
2. Faith brings us to God
  – Hebrews 11:6

The defining question: What is the of my faith?

Personal Notes