Week of January 25

Living in the Last Days: A Study of Paul’s Letter to the Thessalonians
Feeling overwhelmed by life right now? You’re not alone. When everything feels uncertain, we often worry about what’s next. But what if it’s possible to regain perspective and live with purpose? Are living in the last days? How do we live in the Last Days? How do we make a difference in uncertain times. Let’s dig into Paul’s letters to the Church at Thessalonica and learn to live by faith, stand firm, make a difference, and face the future with courage instead of fear.

Living in the Last Days in God’s Word – 1 Thessalonians 2:13-20
Are we living in the last days? Yes. And every day we are one day closer to Jesus’ return. So how do we live in the last days? We live in God’s Word as God’s Word works in us.

LIVE OAK CONNECTION POINT:
We will celebrate baptisms on Sunday, Feb. 8th during services. Last call to sign up to be baptized that day is Wednesday!  Find everything you need at Sign Up & Events on our App and Website.

DISCUSSION/REFLECTION QUESTIONS:

  • Would you rather have very hot weather or very cold weather?
  • Who is someone you are thankful for as you see God working in them?
  • What is your first memory of or experience with the Bible?
  • What makes it difficult for you to engage with the Bible?
  • READ: 1 Thessalonians 2:13-20.
    Spend some time SOAPing this passage. You can either spend time SOAPing individually and documenting for a several minutes and then spend time sharing with each -OR- SOAP in real time with each other. Either way make as many observations as you can.

OBSERVATIONS: What are the things that stand out to you about this passage? How would you summarize this passage in one sentence? What does this passage tell me about who God is? What does this passage tell me about who I am? What are the lessons we could learn about how live a life of godly impact based on what we read here about either Paul or the Thessalonians?

  • READ: 1 Thessalonians 2:13. Here are the questions Doug asked based on this verse:
    • Am I receptive to God’s Word?
    • How am I seeking to hear and engage with God’s Word?
    • Who is hearing God’s Word through me?
    • Do I accept God’s Word for what it is? Why?
    • Do I believe God’s Word and put it into practice by faith?
    • Is God’s Word at work in me? If so, how do you see God’s Word working?
  • Doug talked about the “Power of 4” research done that shows that when you engage God’s Word 4 or more times a week it shows up in observable ways. How have you experienced that to be true in your life of engaging with God’s Word “more days a week then you don’t”?
  • Doug talked about the 5 ways we can engage with God’s Word to “get a grip” on God’s Word? What is your experience with each one in general and recently?
    • HEAR God’s Word (Romans 10:17)
    • READ God’s Word (Revelation 1:3)
    • STUDY God’s Word (Acts 17:11)
    • MEMORIZE God’s Word (Psalm 119:9, 11)
    • MEDITATE God’s Word (Psalm 1:2-3)
  • What are some ways you can engage with God’s Word with others?
  • What are some ways you can share God’s Word with others?
  • What else stood out from this week’s sermon?

 

APPLICATION:
What is your big takeaway from this passage and this week’s sermon? Be specific.

NEXT STEPS:
Everyone has a next step to apply what we’ve learned. What’s your next step? Be specific.

MEMORY VERSE: *Challenge yourself or your group to commit this verse to memory: 1 Thessalonians 2:13 “And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe.”

PRAYER:
Encourage your group to pray this prayer often in 2026 & use to close your group time.

A 2026 Prayer for MORE: Ephesians 3:14-21
“Heavenly Father, Help me to engage with you MORE.  Work in me to make me MORE like you.  Use me to help MORE people know you. Make my story about your glory! Amen.”

Scripture References:
1 Thessalonians 2:13-20; Acts 1:8; Acts 2:42-47; Acts 8:1; Romans 10:17; Hebrews 4:12; Isaiah 55:11; 2 Timothy 3:16; Romans 10:17; Revelation 1:3; Acts 17:11; Psalm 119:9, 11; Psalm 1:2-3.