This week, Pastor Chris began our new sermon series, Driven by Eternity, with a message on how a healthy church is shaped by the certainty of Christ’s return—living with watchful hope rather than speculation and ordering its life around obedience to Him. Marked by grace and peace, a healthy church becomes a praying and thankful community whose faith is active, whose love is visible, and whose hope endures even in a troubled world. Anchored in the promise that Jesus will come again, such a church pursues holiness, proclaims the gospel with urgency, and lives in joyful anticipation of redemption.
Matthew 24:26–27 (ESV)
26 So, if they say to you, ‘Look, he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out. If they say, ‘Look, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. 27 For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
Luke 21:25–28 (ESV)
25 “And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, 26 people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27 And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
Matthew 24:36 (ESV)
36 “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.
Hebrews 9:28 (ESV)
28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.
Revelation 1:7 (ESV)
7 Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.
“Why does Scripture have so much to say about the last days? So that we can reorder our lives in the light of Jesus’ coming….So far as I can see, every Bible passage about the return of Christ is written for a practical purpose—not to help us to develop a theory of history, but to motivate our obedience.” John Frame
Ecclesiastes 3:11b (ESV)
He has put eternity into man’s heart…
Colossians 3:2 (ESV)
2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.
JesusWalk Bible Study Series, “1 Thessalonians: Introduction,” https://www.jesuswalk.com/thessalonians/00_intro.htm
Acts 17:1–4 (ESV)
1 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. 2 And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ.” 4 And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a great many of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women.
Acts 17:5–10 (ESV)
5 But the Jews were jealous, and taking some wicked men of the rabble, they formed a mob, set the city in an uproar, and attacked the house of Jason, seeking to bring them out to the crowd. 6 And when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also, 7 and Jason has received them, and they are all acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.” 8 And the people and the city authorities were disturbed when they heard these things. 9 And when they had taken money as security from Jason and the rest, they let them go. 10 The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue.
1 Thessalonians 3:9 (ESV)
9 For what thanksgiving can we return to God for you, for all the joy that we feel for your sake before our God,
A Healthy Church is…
Marked by grace and peace.
1 Thessalonians 1:1 (ESV)
1 Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace.
A Healthy Church is…
A thankful praying church.
1 Thessalonians 1:2 (ESV)
2 We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers,
Thanksgiving is…
- Gateway to God’s Presence and Peace
- A “Sacrifice” in All Circumstances
- A Weapon Against Bitterness
- An Aligning with God’s Will
- Magnifying God
A Healthy Church is…
Has active faith, observable love, and enduring hope.
1 Thessalonians 1:3 (ESV)
3 remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Christ’s Return Provides…
- Hope and Comfort
- Urgency for Evangelism and Obedience
- Encouragement to Pursue Holiness
- Perseverance in Ministry
- Joyful Anticipation
Discussion Questions:
- According to Matthew 24:36, how should the fact that no one knows the day or hour shape the way we live?
- What does it practically look like to “set your mind on things above” (Colossians 3:2) in your daily life?
- How does the promise of Christ’s return gives you the most hope right now, and why?
Application Question:
- Is there anything in your life that needs to be “reordered” in light of eternity?