Category Archives: Bible

God on the Shelf (1 Thessalonians 4:1-8)

Posted on July 23, 2023 by salooper57

…we can do this without judging, belittling, or looking down on others, but that does not mean we can do this without being judged, belittled, and looked down on. Continue reading →

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The Good News Church (1 Thessalonians 3:6-13)

Posted on July 16, 2023 by salooper57

This leads to a question that each of us must answer for ourselves: Does my faith have holes in it? I think the answer is almost certainly, “Yes, it does.” But then we must discover where those holes are and what is causing them. Continue reading →

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The Working Word (1 Thessalonians 2:13-3:5)

Posted on July 9, 2023 by salooper57

In this part of 1 Thessalonians, Paul thanks God for how the Thessalonians received the word of God and how that word has gone to work in them. How does God’s word “work”? We’ll explore that in this message. Our … Continue reading →

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A Life-Changing Principle for a Better World

Posted on July 8, 2023 by salooper57

The Golden Rule is not a moral instruction that can be followed thoughtlessly or, in most cases, acted on spontaneously. To follow the Rule, I need to put myself in someone else’s shoes and this requires thought, intelligence, and imagination. Continue reading →

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What We know (1 Thess. 1:4-10)

Posted on July 7, 2023 by salooper57

I am not posting this sermon in the order it was preached because something happened during the sermon that caused a delay in posting it. While preaching, my vision became distorted, and I needed to sit. Our medical team cared … Continue reading →

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Expiration Date: The Paradoxical Impact of Knowing Our Mortality

Posted on July 1, 2023 by salooper57

Imagine that you were born with an expiration date on your wrist or scalp. Your parents would know from the moment you were born how long your life would last. When you became old enough to understand what the numbers … Continue reading →

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What to Look for in a Minister (1 Thessalonians 2:1-12)

Posted on June 28, 2023 by salooper57

Imagine that you are a first century citizen of the great, free city of Thessalonica. You are from a land-holding family, you have money, status, and leisure—none of which ordinary folk have in any measure. Your friends are all from … Continue reading →

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On the Razor’s Edge: The Church and the Sexual Morality Debate

Posted on June 24, 2023 by salooper57

Offended by the violence and discrimination, [the Church] may compromise long-held convictions by choosing to believe the Bible does not prohibit same-sex sexual relationships. Or it may join the culture warriors and make a do-or-die stand against LGBTQ advances. Continue reading →

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Signs, Signs, Everywhere a Sign: 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10

Posted on June 18, 2023 by salooper57

Many of us have been taught to think of “work” as a theologically dirty word. Work is what people do who don’t know Christ and are trying to bribe their way into heaven. But notice that Paul does not see faith and work as opponents but as friends. Faith produces work, as surely as fire produces heat, Congress produces deficits, and the Detroit Tigers produce disappointment. Continue reading →

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Embracing a New Life: Navigating Spiritual Transformation

Posted on June 17, 2023 by salooper57

Such talk about “natures” can be misleading. It implies that there exists a ready-made nature which one can slip into as one slips into a car – in this case an autonomous vehicle that is capable of driving itself. It makes the new Christian a passenger, rather than a driver. But “natures” do not come ready-made. Continue reading →

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