RTW 2023

This letter is from Paul, Silas, and Timothy. We are writing to the church in Thessalonica, to you who belong to God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.

2 Thessalonians 1:1-2

Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

• Paul’s second letter to the church at Thessalonica addresses unresolved issues.
• Persecution troubles the church.
• There is confusion and fear about the last things.
• There is idleness in the church.
• Paul writes a warm letter, like the first, but more sober and urgent.
• The core of the letter contains the importance of first things: the effect of the proper hearing of the truth, the receiving of Christ as He is offered in the Gospel, and the peace and security that come from knowing the Lord Jesus.
• The letter teaches what it means to live and serve in the Kingdom of God in this present evil age.
• It calls for enduring faithfulness to the Word of God in the face of painful challenges and difficulties.
• It reminds them to stand on the firm foundation of the Scriptures.
• These same lessons apply to us today.
• This is the beauty of Scripture..it is powerful throughout all time.
• We should understand the precious thing we have been given through God’s saving revelation.
• We should understand the importance of trusting what we find in the Word of God.
• We should understand the importance of obeying what we find in the Word of God.
• Trust and obey, from first things to last things.

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Remember that the days are drawing closer to the last days…we need to live our lives centered on the first things as we share the message that gets more and more urgent each day.