Sundays at 9:00 and 10:45 a.m.

Sunday Prep // May 17-21, 2021

"Endgame" - Week Seven

Each day this week, read these passages to prepare for the sermon this coming Sunday.

Monday, May 17 - 1 Thessalonians 5:12-28

12 We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, 13 and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. 14 And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. 15 See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies, 21 but test everything; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil.

23 Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.
 
25 Brothers, pray for us. 
26 Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss. 
27 I put you under oath before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers. 
28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. 

Tuesday, May 18 - 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15

CONTEXT:  One of the big issues facing the Thessalonian church is idleness. Paul speaks about it in 1 Thessalonians 5:14, but he gives an extended discussion of it in his second letter to them.

6 Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you, 8 nor did we eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you. 9 It was not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate. 10 For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. 11 For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. 12 Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.

13 As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good. 14 If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed. 15 Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.

Wednesday, May 19 - Psalm 20:1-9

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.
 
1 May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble! 
May the name of the God of Jacob protect you! 
2 May he send you help from the sanctuary 
and give you support from Zion! 
3 May he remember all your offerings 
and regard with favor your burnt sacrifices! Selah 
4 May he grant you your heart’s desire 
and fulfill all your plans! 
5 May we shout for joy over your salvation, 
and in the name of our God set up our banners! 
May the Lord fulfill all your petitions! 
6 Now I know that the Lord saves his anointed; 
he will answer him from his holy heaven 
with the saving might of his right hand. 
7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses, 
but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. 
8 They collapse and fall, 
but we rise and stand upright. 
9 O Lord, save the king! 
May he answer us when we call. 

Thursday, May 20 - 1 John 4:1-6

CONTEXT:  Paul tells the Thessalonians to "not despise prophecies, but test everything" (1 Thessalonians 5:20-21).  In other words, be open to what God might be saying, but make sure that we check that it's from God before we obey it.  Here in 1 John, the apostle helps us to know how to test the spirits.

4:1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. 4 Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 5 They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

Friday, May 21 - Revelation 22:10-21

CONTEXT:  The concluding sentences of the entire Bible remind God's people that He is coming soon.  We should be encouraged by this reminder as we live to please God.

22:10 And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. 11 Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy.”
 
12 “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”
14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. 15 Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”
 
17 The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.

18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.
 
20 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!
21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.