Praying with Paul for OURSELVES

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Praying with Paul for OURSELVES

• 1 Thessalonians 523-24

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I Thessalonians 523-25 311-13

• May the God of peace himself sanctify you
  entirely and may your spirit and soul and body
  be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our
  Lord Jesus Christ.
• The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do
  this.
• Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord
  Jesus direct our way to you.
• And may the Lord make you increase and abound in
  love for one another and for all, just as we
  abound in love for you.
• And may he so strengthen your hearts in holiness
  that you may be blameless before our God and
  Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all
  his saints.

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JESUS PRAYED FOR THE CHURCHJohn 1717-19

• Jesus sanctified himself.
• If Jesus did, we should as well.
• The One we follow took action!

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OUR PART

• If members of church are to be sanctified,
  leaders must!
• If enough of us sought sanctifying grace more and
  more
• Tipping point church holy in remarkable,
  glorious, transforming ways.

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OUR LIFE ORIENTATION

• JESUSthe center of everything.
• 9 For the people of those regions report about us
  what kind of welcome we had among you, and how
  you turned to God from idols, to serve a living
  and true God, 10 and to wait for his Son from
  heaven, whom he raised from the dead-- Jesus, who
  rescues us from the wrath that is coming.
  (1Th 19-10)

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OUR LIFE ORIENTATION

• Consider the seismic shift in turning from idols
  to living and true God
• Reflecting Jesus in stunning wayseveryone could
  see Thessalonians like Paul like Jesus
• Setting people free, ruining businesses that
  exploit and abuse (e.g., fortune-telling girl,
  the practice of sorcery).
• Challenging the values and norms of culture
  (e.g., upsetting the silversmiths, shaming the
  goddess).
• Suffering with joy!

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LOVE ONE ANOTHER AND FOR ALL

• And may the Lord make you increase and abound in
  love for one another and for all, just as we
  abound in love for you. (1Th 312)
• Now concerning love of the brothers and sisters,
  you do not need to have anyone write to you, for
  you yourselves have been taught by God to love
  one another and indeed you do love all the
  brothers and sisters throughout Macedonia. But we
  urge you, beloved, to do so more and more,
  (1Th 49-10)

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Love one another and for all

• Caring for one anotherno needs!
• Binding people together, including people,
  overcoming fear and suspicion and selfishness.
• As Paul loved and as Jesus loved.

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OUR SEXUALITY

• Love first and foremost for God.
• Love for God the context for all other
  affections.
• Love for God leads to God-honoring sex.
• Therefore, no porneia

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OUR SEXUALITY

• Who will be the center of sexuality?
• In all things Christ supreme.
• Christmore important than sexual expression,
  brings wholeness to our sexuality.

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OUR SEXUALITY

• The fact is there is sexual sin and disorder
  within the church.
• How can a sexually disordered people credibly
  advocate the virtues of Gods plan for marriage
  and sexuality?
• For our own sakes and for the mission, the church
  needs to be sanctified!
• Come cleanrepentseek gracewelcome helpreceive
  grace that frees, cleanses, reorders!

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OUR HOPE AND ITS COMFORT

• The coming of Jesus is our hope.
• Paul says comfort/encourage one another with
  these words (413 511).
• To be sanctified to the max, in the last days, is
  to take the comfort he offers, alert and eager to
  be who we arepeople of lightand to do what
  people of light doshine.
• To be people of faith, love and hope (58) not
  because the time is short, but because the world
  is dark and people are sleeping.
• Their best chance is for us to be our best
  reflection of Jesus, who is the light and life.

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Praying for ourselves

• Pray for the church.
• Leaders must lead.
• Am I a help or hindrance to the church being
  sanctified to the max?

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