<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 16pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 16pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“We will be with the Lord forever. Therefore comfort one another with these words.”<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 16pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Christian hope gives comfort in grief and courage in the present.<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 16pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We do not grieve as those without hope. Jesus will return. The dead in Christ will rise. God’s people will be with the Lord forever.<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 16pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This future shapes how we live now. Because the future is holy and reconciled, we practise holiness, forgiveness, justice, mercy, and love today.<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 16pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Discipleship means living now in light of what God will one day make fully new.<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 16pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We can comfort someone who is grieving with resurrection hope. We can practise forgiveness as a sign of the reconciled world to come. We can care for creation because God intends to renew it. We can choose justice, mercy, and truth in ordinary situations. We can worship God as the centre and goal of eternal life.<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 16pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Klēsia communities are called to live as previews of God’s renewed world. Not perfectly, but faithfully. When we love, forgive, serve, worship, and seek justice together, we point toward the future God has promised.<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 16pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Today, ask how your life can become a small sign of new creation.<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 16pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Reflection questions:<ol style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); list-style-type: decimal; font-size: 16pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 16pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">How can my Klēsia group live now as a preview of God’s renewed world?</li><li aria-level="1" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); list-style-type: decimal; font-size: 16pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 16pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What is one choice I can make this week in light of God’s promised future?</li></ol><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 16pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Prayer: <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 16pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jesus, help me live today in light of the new creation You are bringing. Make my life and my Klēsia a faithful preview of Your restored world. Amen.

We do not grieve as those without hope. Jesus will return. The dead in Christ will rise. God’s people will be with the Lord forever.

7.Living Toward New Creation

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7.Living Toward New Creation

7.Living Toward New Creation

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