Oct. 15, 2023

JD Poeverlein (JD) shares about his recent busy schedule and business trip to a conference on addiction counseling. He expresses his fascination with meetings and the progress made in therapeutic approaches. JD reflects on the challenges faced by communities, such as substance use disorders and co-occurring mental health conditions. He mentions the city of Denver as an example, describing its crime rates, overpopulation, lack of resources, and homelessness issues. JD expresses feeling out of place in Denver despite having experience in other cities. He mentions his original plan for the sermon, but felt compelled to change the focus after the trip. The sermon transitions to discussing the authorship of First Thessalonians by Paul, who visited the church in Thessalonica and sends Timothy to check on them. Apostle Paul's letter mostly contains encouragement and praise for the church rather than addressing internal conflicts. The specific verses being discussed are First Thessalonians 4:9-12. The scripture text highlights the church's commendable brotherly love and Paul praises their efforts in loving one another.  Paul urges the church to continue increasing in love and emphasize the importance of setting an example to those outside the church. He further encourages the church to live a quiet life, mind their own business, work with their own hands, and walk properly toward outsiders. JD relates his own experiences and encourages the congregation to live exemplary lives as they interact with people in the community, region, and tourists. They acknowledge the challenges of frustration during the tourist season but emphasize the opportunity to minister to others and represent Christ's love. The sermon concludes with a prayer and a reminder of God's love.