Celebrate, Anticipate, Calibrate – 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

In his teaching to the Thessalonian church, the apostle Paul deals with the issue of the fate of Christian believers in the community who had died. The young church was grieving terribly and wondering just what was in store for their “sleeping” brethren when the Lord Jesus came back in glory. Would they miss out [...]

Nothing You Didn’t Already Know – 1 Thessalonians 4:9-12

A close study of the apostle Paul’s two letters to the young church of the Thessalonians reveals a tendency by some of its members to not seek gainful employment in order to support themselves, their families, or the ministry of the church. The reason for their slacking off is not directly stated. Perhaps they anticipated [...]

Lesson One: Sexual Purity

Many young Americans view sexual purity as a prudish throwback to the confines of a more old-fashioned and puritanical society. Even within the church, many feel that to “look but not touch” or non-coital sex is an acceptable lifestyle as long as “no one gets hurt.” In this culture where sexually explicit material is everywhere [...]