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 Will – 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12 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 our lives according to God’s Will and move from sinfulness to sanctification.
LIVE OAK CONNECTION POINT:
Don’t forget about our Sunday Resources on our app and website. There are tools and helps as you seek to engage God, God’s Word, God’s People and God’s Mission!
ICE BREAKER QUESTIONS:
*For a NEW GROUP meeting together or a group with new people, or a group that has had a long time not meeting together, you can use these Ice Breaker Questions to get people talking and start making connections.
**For an EXISTING GROUP without a lot of new people, feel free to use or adapt the 3 ice breaker questions below but also spend some time catching up with each other by sharing highlights and challenges since you last met. You may also want to have everyone share a hope for your small group for this Spring.
- ICE BREAKER 1: “Unique Introductions” Have everyone introduce themselves this way:
- A) A UNIQUE GREETING(Example: Hi, Hello, Hey, Aloha, Bon Jour, Greetings,What’s up, etc.) Everyone has to have a unique opening greeting line. No repeats. Must be a unique greeting word or phrase that has not already been used by someone else during this ice breaker.
- B) Name and a 1-MINUTE BIO of who you are (includeany family info, what you do during the week, what you do for fun, and how long you have attended Live Oak)
Example: “Hi. My name is Doug Halcomb. I’m Senior Pastor at Live Oak, married to Jennifer, 2 kids, Jean & Graycia. And I Graduated from Tech in 1994. For fun I like enjoy movies, music and I’ve attended Live Oak from 1993- 2004, and again since 2012.”
- ICEBREAKER 2: “Lightning Round” Start with the leader and ask a question that is either an “either/or” type question or a “what is your favorite___________” fill in the blank type question.
Example: Beach or mountains? TV or Movies? Favorite movie? Favorite food? Favorite hobby? Each person in the circle answers the question with the one who asked the question answering last. Then, the person to the right asks their own “either/or” or “favorite” question. Each person in the circle answers that question with the person who asked the question answering last. Go all around the circle until everyone in the circle asks a question. This gets everyone talking and participating. Try to keep the pace up and keep a lightening round type of feel with quick questions and quick answers.
- ICEBREAKER 3: “Hopes for our Small Group” Have everyone share why they were interested in joining a small group AND what they might be hoping to experience in this small group.
DISCUSSION/REFLECTION QUESTIONS:
- READ: 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12. 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?
- Talk about a time when you really wanted to know GOD’S WILL. What was the situation? And how did you seek to find and know God’s will?
- What does this passage tell us about knowing God’s will?
- How can we know God’s will?
- Doug said that this is how we can find and now God’s will: Pray and ask God. Listen to God’s voice. Read Gods Word. Listen to wise/godly people. *Pay attention circumstances.
- Where is an area right now in your life where you might be seeking to know God’s will?
- Doug pointed out that 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 tells us that it is God’s will that we be “sanctified”. What does SANCTIFIED/SANCTIFICATION mean?
- What is the difference between JUSTIFICATION and SANCTIFICATION?
Justification is the moment your sins are forgiven once for all. Sanctification the lifelong process of becoming like Jesus in our Heart and life.
- Talk about a time when you experienced God growing you and sanctifying you to be “more and more” like Jesus. How did you pursue growth and life change?
- What was the growth you saw in your life?
- What stands out in this passage about an area that Paul identities for the Thessalonians that he taught them to be sanctified and live a holy life?
- Why do you think our sexuality is emphasized here and repeatedly throughout the Bible?
- READ: 1 Thessalonians 4:9-12. Doug said that there are 2 areas mentioned in this passage that are everyday opportunities for sanctification and for us to participate in God working in us to make us “more and more” like Jesus:
- “Your everyday relationships with others are opportunities for God do His sanctifying work in you.” What are some ways you could you be intentional with your everyday relationships to pursue God’s sanctifying work in you?
- “Your everyday work and activities are opportunities for God do His sanctifying work in you.” What are some ways you could you be intentional with your everyday work and activities to pursue God’s sanctifying work in you?
- How will you practically seek and pursue “more and more” to let God make you “more and more” like Jesus this week?
- 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 4:1 “As for other matters, brothers and sisters, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more.”
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 4:1-12; Psalm 143:10; 1 Corinthians 6:18-20; Colossians 3:17, 23-24