It All Matters
Sermon Series from May - October 2021 on God's Truth From 1 Thessalonians For Our Ordinary Lives
"He Will Surely Do It"
October 17, 2021 • Mike Bullmore • 1 Thessalonians 5:23–28
Sermon Application Questions: 1. Of the three characteristics of God highlighted in I Thessalonians 5:23-24 which do you have the deepest personal grasp of? Which one means the most to you? For which do you have the least developed appreciation? 2. Do you feel any temptation personally to “take advantage” of your justification by allowing some pattern of sin to continue in your life? What warnings does the Bible give regarding that possibility? ______________________________ Music and Lyrics Used by Permission CCLI# 1595532
Our Ordinary Life Together and Prophecy
October 10, 2021 • Josh Mathews • 1 Thessalonians 5:19–22
Sermon Application Questions: 1. The definition of prophecy used was "telling something the Spirit spontaneously brings to mind." What do you think of that definition? How is it similar or different from what you've thought/experienced? 2. There are two ditches of poorly approaching prophecies: being overly cautious or overly consumed. Neither are best. If you did lean towards one ditch, which one would it be? Why? 3. When you gather together, whether on Sundays or in Gospel Community or informally, do you tend to be a consumer or contributor? What would it look like to grow in contributing? 4. What's a good step for you to grow in hearing the Spirit's voice? 5. How can you ensure that the priority of God's word and faithful teaching isn't lost while eagerly desiring the work of God's Spirit in and through you? ______________________________ Music and Lyrics Used by Permission CCLI# 1595532
A Constant Frame of Mind
October 3, 2021 • Mike Bullmore • 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18
Sermon Application Questions: 1. Of the three things we’re instructed to do in I Thessalonians 5:16-18—rejoice always, pray always, give thanks always—which feels the most challenging to you? Why do you think that is? 2. Do you feel like you truly understand, and then actually make, the connection between verses 9-10 and verses 16-18? What specifically about what God has done for you motivates you toward joy, prayer, and gratitude? _________________________________________ Music and Lyrics Used by Permission CCLI# 1595532
Living Together As Family
September 26, 2021 • Mike Bullmore • 1 Thessalonians 5:12–15
Sermon Application Questions: 1. What is the basic posture of your heart toward the leaders in our church? Are you limiting your “respect” and “esteem” to just some of them? 2. How aware are you of the spiritual condition of those around you? Do you feel like you know when someone is “idle”? When they are “fainthearted”? When they are “weak”? 3. Have you had an experience of being sinned against recently by someone in the church? What has been your response? _________________________________________ Music and Lyrics Used by Permission CCLI# 1595532
So When Will This Happen?
September 19, 2021 • Mike Bullmore • 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11
Sermon Application Questions: 1. How much do you think about the second coming of Jesus? If you don’t think about it much, why is that? Is it that you’ve never been taught about it and being unaware of it hinders your eagerness for it? Is it that your heart has grown somewhat cold and you don’t feel the preciousness of Jesus and that seeing him will be the greatest thing? Is it that you are afraid of what might happen on that day? Is it something else? 2. Consider I Thessalonians 5:8. How might your purposed pursuit of faith, love, and hope make you more prepared for Christ’s second coming? 3. Who do you know that might need the encouragement of the truth of Christ’s second coming? Think of a gentle and loving way to provide that encouragement and purpose to do that. __________________________________________ Music and Lyrics Used by Permission CCLI# 1595532
"About Those Who Are Asleep..."
September 12, 2021 • Mike Bullmore • 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18
Sermon Application Questions: 1. Have you lost a loved one who was a Christian? How much are you allowing biblical truth about a Christian’s death to influence how you think and how you feel about that loss? 2. How often do you think about your own death? How much are you allowing biblical truth to influence how you think and how you feel about that?__________________________________________ Music and Lyrics Used by Permission CCLI# 1595532
"Aspire to Live Quietly"
July 25, 2021 • Mike Bullmore • 1 Thessalonians 4:11–12
Sermon Application Questions: 1. Of the three instructions given in I Thessalonians 4:11—living quietly, minding your own affairs, and working with your hands—with which do you struggle the most? Where does that struggle show up for you and what does it look like? 2. Which of the two reasons for living like this that Paul names in verse 12 is most motivating for you? 3. What does all this have to do with the gospel? __________________________________________ Music and Lyrics Used by Permission CCLI# 1595532
"Now Concerning Brotherly Love"
July 18, 2021 • Mike Bullmore
Sermon Application Questions: 1. In what way is connecting God’s love for us to our love for one another helpful to how you think about loving others? 2. Think about some of the “one anothers” in the Bible: greet one another, welcome one another, encourage one another, serve one another, bear one another’s burdens. What opportunities might you have in the near future to show love to another believer in those ways? How might you be intentional about showing that love? __________________________________________ Music and Lyrics Used by Permission CCLI# 1595532
Christian, Pursue Holiness
July 11, 2021 • Ryan Fultz
Sermon Application Questions: 1. What is one thing that stuck out to you from the sermon? 2. How can we as believers help each other pursue holy sexuality? 3. What are some ways that you can be tempted to see God’s guard rails as robbing you of joy rather than for your joy? (Grand Canyon Illustration) 4. What is one step that you need to take in your own life based on the sermon? (It could be new way of thinking or new action) __________________________________________ Music and Lyrics Used by Permission CCLI# 1595532
How You Ought to Live
July 4, 2021 • Mike Bullmore
Sermon Application Questions: 1. Is there a clear and purposeful connection in your mind between the instructions in God’s word and your living of your life? Is there a recent example of you reading something in your Bible and purposing to implement what you read into your life? If that hasn’t happened recently, why do you think that is? 2. How convinced are you of the goodness of God’s instructions? Is your desire to obey more begrudging or truly joyful? 3. Are you operating daily with an awareness of Jesus’ presence? What might you do to heighten your awareness of that wonderful reality? __________________________________________ Music and Lyrics Used by Permission CCLI# 1595532
The Strengthening Effect of Shared Christian Life
June 27, 2021 • Mike Bullmore
Sermon Application Questions: 1. Are you meaningfully and regularly engaged in shared life with other believers? What does that look like for you? If not, what steps might you take to pursue that? 2. Run through the six “effects” of shared life Paul names in I Thessalonians 3:6-13 (i.e., thanksgiving, joy, earnest prayer, longing to do others good, love, and holiness). Which of these do you feel are strongly present in your shared experience? With which do you feel there is room for growth? 3. Pick just one of these areas you desire to see growth in. What first step might you take in that direction? Know that God is ready to meet you one step down the path of obedience. __________________________________________ Music and Lyrics Used by Permission CCLI# 1595532
Lessons in Affliction
June 20, 2021 • Mike Bullmore
Sermon Application Questions: 1. Are you currently experiencing any opposition for being a Christian? If yes, what does that look like? If no, why do you think that is? 2. Have you witnessed another Christian endure opposition recently? How has this affected you? 3. What helps you to get outside of the “small frame” of your circumstances and live within the “large frame” of God’s purposes? Are there specific steps or habits you need to be cultivating here? __________________________________________ Music and Lyrics Used by Permission CCLI# 1595532
Who Says?
June 13, 2021 • Mike Bullmore
Sermon Application Questions: 1. Do you have reservations about the authority of God’s word? What are those reservations? How do you think they might be addressed? 2. Think about your daily and weekly habits of receiving the word of God. Do you feel like your current habits are allowing you to benefit fully from the “working of the word” (I Thess. 2:13) in your life? Is there some step you feel you could take to strengthen your “Word habits” so as to more fully benefit from its effect? __________________________________________ Music and Lyrics Used by Permission CCLI# 1595532
What it Takes to Faithfully Pass the Gospel On to Others
June 6, 2021 • Brett Wendle
Sermon Application Questions: 1. Would you say that you speak about Jesus freely with your family, neighbors, and coworkers? Why or why not? 2. Do you find yourself more often motivated by the desire to please God or the desire to please people (v. 4)? Can you think of a time recently that your desire to please God led you to disappoint someone? Can you think of a time when your desire to please people led you to compromise what God was calling you to? 3. What are some ways you can grow in your desire to please God? 4. Think of some people to whom you’re trying to do spiritual good, whether non-Christians, less mature Christians, your children, or someone else. Which facet of self-giving love do you think God wants you to show more of in that relationship: affection (v. 7), availability (v. 8), exertion (v. 9), or exhortation (vv. 10-12)? How could that look? __________________________________________ Music and Lyrics Used by Permission CCLI# 1595532
What It Means to Be a Christian
May 30, 2021 • Mike Bullmore
Sermon Application Questions: 1. Are you a Christian? How do you know? 2. What does the idea of being “chosen” by God (v. 4) do in you? What do you think the Bible means that truth to do in you? 3. What evidences of genuine conversion (like what Paul names in v. 2) is it encouraging for you to see in your life? __________________________________________ Music and Lyrics Used by Permission CCLI# 1595532