Sermon series

This sermon 'series,' consists of one sermon, from Ezekiel, which sets up our theme for the year, which is highlighted on our home page.  

More and more. That's the phrase repeated often by Paul, here in 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 and 5.

More and more.  This phrase has many implications.  It means something is already good.  It means more is better, and even more is better yet.

Paul is encouraging his friends, and fellow believers in Thessalonica to go from good to great, long before Jim Collins made the book title famous.

In 586 BC Jerusalem was destroyed by Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar II’s kingship; and the Jews in the region of Judah were exiled from their land.  In 539 BC, Cyrus the Great led the Persians in defeating Babylon.  One year later, 538 BC, Cyrus issues a decree allowing Israelites to return to Jerusalem, nearly 50 years after they were defeated and exiled.  The two books of Ezra and Nehemiah, often considered one book; are the account of their return.  The book of Ezra describes the rebuilding of the temple; Nehemiah describes the rebuilding of Jerusalem.

Why did Jesus have to die? Was God angry? Was God after blood; wanting to punish someone; angry until He was somehow ‘satisfied’?  So, was God, as Jesus, somehow ‘paying’ God?

What is actually going on?

A very common theoryand most likely the one many hold today, goes something like this: