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What is Your Reaction?What is Your Reaction?

1 Thessalonians 1 Thessalonians 5:1 - 5:95:1 - 5:9

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How would you react? How would you react?

• Chapter 5– “You won’t be surprised”– “So be on your guard”– “Not asleep”– “Stay alert”– “Clearheaded”– “Encourage One Another”

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What is on your mind?What is on your mind?

• Living in the Shadow of Eternity?– What’s the MOSTMOST important event of

your life?– Where is your affection for today?

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What would you change?What would you change?

• What if you knew that Jesus was coming sometime this year?– Live each day fleshly with an eye to the

future; Live each day spiritually as if it’s your last.

– Consider the ant…– Living Spiritually with reckless

abandon

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Mark 13:34-37Mark 13:34-37 The coming of the Son of Man can be

illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. When he left home, he gave eacheach of his slaves instructions about the of his slaves instructions about the work they were to dowork they were to do, and he told the gatekeeper to watch for his return. You, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know when the master of the household will return—in the evening, at midnight, before dawn, or at daybreak. Don’t let Don’t let him find you sleepinghim find you sleeping when he arrives without warning. I say to youI say to you what I say to everyone: Watch for him!Watch for him!”

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Obedience ExpectedObedience Expected

• Jesus has expectations of us – “he gave each of his slaves instructions

about the work they were to do”• Everyone of us has a ministry• “Let others do it”• “I’ll do it when I have time”

– We are not of the night

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ConsequencesConsequences

• Judgment at His return– Treat your fellow slaves with love

- Matthew 24:45-51- Left out of the Wedding

– Matthew 25 – Burying your Talent

– Matthew 25

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Losing FocusLosing Focus

1. The Spirit of Sleep2 Peter 3:3-4

… “What happened to the promise that “What happened to the promise that Jesus is coming again?”Jesus is coming again?”…

• Barclay Quote: “…The spirit which leads to disaster is the spirit which says there is plenty of time…”

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Losing FocusLosing Focus

2. Treasures lie here or above?Colossians 3:1-4Colossians 3:1-4

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set yourset your heartshearts on things aboveon things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things aboveSet your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.

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Gaining Proper FocusGaining Proper Focus

1. Practice an Eternal Perspective!

2 Corinthians 4:17-182 Corinthians 4:17-18 For our present troubles are smallpresent troubles are small and

won’t last very longwon’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen isseen is temporarytemporary, but what is unseen is eternalunseen is eternal.

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Gaining Proper FocusGaining Proper Focus

2. Use Your Imagination!

1 John 3:2-31 John 3:2-3 Beloved, now we are children of God,

and it has not appeared as yet what we will be we know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. And anyone who hashas this hope fixed on Himthis hope fixed on Him purifies purifies themselvesthemselves, just as He is pure.

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Gaining Proper FocusGaining Proper Focus• Jesus Fixed Hope

John 17:4-5John 17:4-5 I brought glory to you here on earth by

completing the work you gave me to do. Now, Father, bring me into the glory we bring me into the glory we sharedshared before the world began.

– Hebrews 12:2-3

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Gaining Proper FocusGaining Proper Focus

3. Live in Love1 John 4:16-171 John 4:16-17

We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in His love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraidSo we will not be afraid on the on the day of judgmentday of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like because we live like JesusJesus here in this world.

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Live in LoveLive in Love

Romans 13:10-11Romans 13:10-11

Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. Do thisDo this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed.

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Live in LoveLive in Love

1 Thessalonians 3:12-131 Thessalonians 3:12-13 and may the Lord cause you to increase increase

and abound in loveand abound in love for one another, and for all people, just as we also do for you; so that He may establish your hearts without blame in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesusat the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.

• 1 Thessalonians 5:8“Breastplate of Faith and Love”

• Hebrews 10:23-25

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Gaining Proper FocusGaining Proper Focus

4. Encourage one another!– Remind each other of that day– In our verbal prayers

Hebrews 10:23-25Hebrews 10:23-25 Let us think of ways to incite one another

to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of especially now that the day of his return is drawing nearhis return is drawing near.

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He is Coming!He is Coming!

My Deliverer is coming – My Deliverer is standing by He will never break His promise though the stars should break faith with the sky My Deliverer is coming

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Paul’s BenedictionPaul’s Benediction

• Closing of 2 Thessalonians

Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. God will make this happen, for he who calls you is faithful.

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