COMMANDS FOR CHRISTIANS FOR ALL TIMES
8/4/2024-Morning Worship
Sermon 16: Living in Anticipation of the Coming of Christ
Text: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Theme: Your circumstances are not to change your obedience.
No matter what is happening in your life you are still responsible to obey God’s commands – no excuses!!
I. You are commanded to rejoice at all times (v. 16)
The Lord taught when persecuted and slandered you are to rejoice and be exceeding glad (Matt 5:11, 12)
The apostles persecuted rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer for Christ’s name (Acts 5:41)
Paul in Philippians – rejoiced though in prison… because of the spread of the Gospel (Phil 1:12, 13, 18)
Paul in 2 Cor 12 – rejoiced because in his weakness God’s strength was found (2 Cor 12:9, 10)
Peter in 1 Peter – rejoiced in heaviness because they were kept by God’s power and perfected for Christ’s appearing (1 Pet 1:5-7)
So, why aren’t you rejoicing? What to you is more important than rejoicing in the Lord?
II. You are commanded to pray for yourself constantly (v. 17)
The one key to know – pray for yourself
III. You are commanded to constantly give thanks (v. 18)
