This past Sunday, at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based out of 1 Thessalonians 3:11-13.  This message was part 1 in the “Share” series.  Below you will find the audio and video of this message in case you want to listen to it again, share it with others, or hear/watch it for the first time.

 

To download the audio to listen to later offline, click on the link below:

Share #1

 

To listen to the audio online, use the media player below:

 

To watch the video of the sermon, use the Vimeo video posted below:

On Sunday morning January 10, 2016 at Wildwood Community Church, I gave a sermon based on 1 Thessalonians 3:11-13.  This message was the first part in the “Share” series.  Below are a set of questions related to this message for personal reflection or group discussion.

Questions for Group Discussion or Personal Reflection:

1. Read 1 Thessalonians 3:11-13.
2. What are some examples you can think of in life where someone is given an overflowing amount of something with the expectation that they would share it with others?
3. What are some of the words that you would use to describe God’s love toward us?
4. Have you ever prayed that God would fill you to overflowing with HIS LOVE for others?
5. What would it look like for you to love those in your life INSIDE THE CHURCH with God’s type of love?
6. What would it look like for you to love those in your life OUTSIDE THE CHURCH with God’s type of love?
7. What is one application that you can put into practice THIS WEEK to love others with God’s love?
8. Will you commit to pray each day this week that God’s love would increase and overflow in your life?

To download these questions in pdf format, click here.

P.S.  If you only have time for one or two questions, use the one’s highlighted in bold.  Thanks!

Some people are just way cooler than I am.  When you ask them who their favorite bands are, they mention some indie group you’ve never heard of.  When you ask them where they buy their clothes, they attribute them to an online reseller who donates all their proceeds to feeding children in subsaharan Africa.  When you ask them what their favorite movie is, it is something that was never released in the “mainstream.”  And when you ask them their favorite restaurant, it is always a one of a kind place (never a national chain) serving ethnic food you cannot pronounce.  Some people are just cooler than me.

I like Bon Jovi, buy my clothes at the mall, loved the new Star Wars movie, and enjoy eating at Cheesecake Factory.  I told you I wasn’t cool.

Now that you know I am not cool, I want to talk a bit more about Cheesecake Factory.  If you have never been to one of these restaurants before, I want to offer my sincere apologies.  It really is a sight to behold.  Beyond the signature desserts at this place, the main menu is both diverse and delicious.  I have never had something here I did not like.

One of the cool features of this restaurant, though, is that their food is social.  No matter what you order on the menu, it will be enough to share . . . the servings sizes are just that large.  The first time Kimberly and I went to Cheesecake Factory with some friends, they told us that we would only need one dinner to share.  I thought they were exaggerating until our waitress told us the same thing!  Their menu was meant to be shared.

I was thinking of this today as I was reflecting on 1 Thessalonians 3:11-13 and preparing for Sunday’s worship services at Wildwood (8:15, 9:30, and 11:00).  In this passage Paul prays for the grace of God to be poured out into the lives of Christians in a manner he described as “increasing” and “overflowing.”  As I thought about these words, the portion size at Cheesecake Factory flashed before my mind’s eye (maybe I’m hungry.)  They give you so much food INTENDING you to share it with others.  In a similar way, God has poured out His blessing into our hearts increasing it to overflowing INTENDING us to share it with those around us . . . those sitting beside us on the chairs in the Worship Center at 8:15 on Sunday morning, but also those who office in the cubicle across from us on Wednesdays at 1:00 PM (or who sit in the desk next to ours in the classroom or volunteer on the PTA with us at the kid’s school, etc.) 

God loves us with an everlasting love, and He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places . . . and He has done so (in part) because He wants us to SHARE this love with others.  Over the next four weeks at Wildwood Community Church, as we begin 2016 together, I want to pray a prayer over the church . . . the same prayer Paul prayed for the Thessalonians.  I want to pray that God increases to overflowing the love we have for one another and for all we come in contact with.  Would you join me in that prayer?  Would you join me Sunday as we talk more about that together? 

I think it’s pretty cool.