Session 9 1 Thessalonians 5:12-24
these are Paul’s final words in his first letter to the church at Thessalonica.
23 Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely.
And may your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.24 He who calls you is faithful;
he will do it.24 He who calls you is faithful;
he will do it.
define sanctification,
Direct attention to Pack Item 4 (Poster: Sanctification)
displayed on the wall for additional information.
Point out that sanctification is a lifelong journey with Christ.
the church at Thessalonica was going through persecution, and their faith was being tested.
Paul wanted them to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that Jesus is faithful.
verse 24 is the memory verse for this week.
Distribute copies of Pack Item 8 (Handout: Memory Verses Bookmark) to anyone who needs one.
Challenge the group to memorize verse 24 this week and reflect on areas in which they need to trust Jesus to be faithful.
Lead the group to review the commands from 1 Thessalonians 5:12-22 listed on the chart.
Read the summary statement:
Salvation is demonstrated through God-honoring lives.
Discuss how God empowers believers to live lives that honor Him.
Prior to the group time, select one of the first two question sets under Apply the Text (p. 80).
Direct the group to the selected group of questions.
Lead them to respond silently or challenge them to revisit this section later in the day or week.
Begin the closing prayer time by using the Key Doctrine:
The Kingdom (p. 79)
as a guide: That Christians ought to pray and to labor
that the Kingdom may come and God’s will be done on earth.
Conclude with praising God for His salvation and faithfulness.
Ask for His power in living lives that honor God in all circumstances.
Reinforce the session by reflecting on the commands Paul listed in this passage. Lead the group to identify people in your church family who model these well. Commit to expressing appreciation to these individuals for their influence.