Sermon Introduction

Sermon The grace of the gospel tends to give rise to the question, “What do you do, now that you don’t have to do anything?” How should those who have been chosen and rescued by Christ live in this world?

1 Thessalonians 1:1-10 Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace. 2 We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, 3 remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. 4 For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you,

Have you had your Casablanca Moment?

5 because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. 6 And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, 7 so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.

8 For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything. 9 For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the 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 to come.

THOSE WHO ARE RESCUED LIVE IN LIGHT OF A GUARANTEED ETERNAL FUTURE The Biblical result is that the Rescuers rescue others because they live by faith in Future Grace This looks like the work of faith, the labor of love and perseverance of hope.

We are Rescued to Rescue

Rescued people want to rescue others and so they ENGAGE IN the work of faith, the Labor love, and the perseverance hope. Grace is not opposed to effort and mess; it is opposed to earning and mediocre effort.

REALITY CHECK We are beginning a new phase at Highlands so it is time for us to …

Engaging in four CRUCIAL areas will require a work of faith, a labor of love, or the steadfastness of hope. ENGAGE in some way in all of these areas: Connect Serve Proclaim Give

They make a great infrastructure for healthy participation in the body of Christ. Build these things into your life and build other things around them.

How do we remember The Biblical grace motivation for Engaging? LOOK AT JESUS IF WE NEED TO BE MOTIVATED IN ANY OF THESE AREAS WE SIMPLY look to him and draw strength from His indwelling Holy Spirit

CONNECT Circles are better than rows when it comes to growth. If you don’t connect, then you’re expecting someone else to bring to the church the relational gifts that God has given you.

You are expecting someone else to be responsible for making relationships happen in the church. Jesus connected by leaving heaven to come to us