Keep Calm

Keep Calm

November 13, 2022

Series: Get Ready

Jason Cusick

Jason Cusick

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God wants us to be encouraged about the future! This weekend we explore how the early Christians living in Thessalonica were anxious about the end of the world but learned to find hope and take steps to be ready for Jesus’ return—and how we can do the same.

Group Discussion Guide

Introduction

Debrief as a group about last week. What was the “High” and “Low” from the week so far? How did last week’s application go?

After debriefing the past week, begin your time with prayer.

Memory Verse

“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth, you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world” John 16:33

Opening

Anxiety about the end times is valid. There are so many questions to ask and very few direct answers to them. “What will it look like? Will I see my family again? How will Jesus return?” etc. These are the same questions that Christians have been asking for millennia, and while some things have been revealed, much is up for interpretation. One thing is clear, however: when thinking of the end times, we have hope in Jesus.

This may be one of the more challenging topics for us to accept and apply because we will not be delving into specifics of “What will the end of times look like”. Instead, we will be discussing, “How do we react, no matter what it looks like?”. This might be frustrating because we just want to know what will happen, but the reality is that the Bible tells us much more about how we should orient ourselves during the end times than it tells us exactly how it will happen. Therefore, this should be our focus, no matter how the last times happen. Our hope is in Jesus; we should live with that in mind. God is in control, which should comfort us; we do not need to be afraid or anxious if we are following Jesus’ teachings. The end times should be something we look towards with joyful expectation because we know that Jesus will return.

This leads us to our big idea:

Big Idea for this week
We should be encouraged by the coming of Jesus.

Connect

  • What have you grown up believing about the end times?
  • What importance have you placed on thinking about this topic?
  • What fears or anxiety do you have when it comes to what it will look like?

Unpack

Go around your group and have someone read each of the following verses, then discuss the connected questions.

READ

  • 2 Thessalonians 2:1-2

DISCUSS

  • What are some reasons we could become “shaken or alarmed”, as it states in verse 2, when thinking about the end times?

READ

  • 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14

DISCUSS

  • How have you balanced anxiety and grieving with hope in your life?
  • Share a time when you have grieved with hope.

This next passage in Hebrews is speaking to, most likely, Jewish Christians to encourage them to persevere in their faith after the author has spent time detailing how much better their way of life and faith is compared to how it had been before Jesus. As you read this, put yourself in the shoes of the audience.

READ

  • Hebrews 10:32-39

DISCUSS

  • What purpose is there to persevere in your faith? Why does this matter to you?
  • How is this passage encouraging to you? Why?

1 Thessalonians 5:1-6 presents the idea that Christians are “children of the light” who no longer walk in the “darkness” of their former ways before they were Christians.

  • In what ways have you experienced this change from walking in darkness to walking in light? How has this experience changed the longer you have been a follower of Jesus?
Apply

Based on the verses we just read, there are a few things that we can do in response. Take a moment to discuss these application questions as a group:

  • What is one step you could take this week to “live as children of the day”?
  • What would it look like to actively anticipate Jesus’ return?
  • How can we take steps to focus our minds and keep calm when looking towards the return of Jesus? How can we help those around us to live this way?
Closing

The desire to shut down and fear is understandable when thinking about the end times. Our calling as Christians, however, is to simply continue living as we always do, with the teachings of Jesus at the center of our lives. This week try to make living “as children of the day” a constant effort, remembering that God is the victor over fear and death yesterday, today, and tomorrow. The return of Jesus is something we should look forward to every day while remembering that, until that day, we are to love others around us with calm and sober minds and tell them about who Jesus is.

  • Ask for prayer requests and conclude your time with prayer.

Daily Bible Reading

Use the S.O.A.K. method to reflect on the verses below.

Scripture: Read the verses several times out loud.
Observation: As you read the scripture, what do you observe?
Application: What is God wanting you to believe, do or feel based on what you have read?
Kneel: This is a chance to pray about what you have read and learned.

  • Day 1: 1 Peter 1:3
  • Day 2: Hebrews 11:1
  • Day 3: Philippians 3:20
  • Day 4: Isaiah 12:1-6
  • Day 5: 1 Peter 5:10
  • Day 6: 2 Corinthians 13:11

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PAUL & HOLLY ZWIERZYNSKI

  • Translating the Bible Support
  • North Carolina

Paul and Holly Zwierzynski serve at the JAARS Center in Waxhaw, North Carolina, where they support Bible translation efforts around the world. Paul specializes in solar power and computer networking. He helps missionaries use low-power computers in remote areas and sets up reliable internet connections using tools like satellite and radio links. His work has supported over 180 field sites, allowing translation teams to collaborate across long distances. Holly works in the translation office as a project assistant. She helps develop Old Testament translation guides and reference materials used by Bible translators worldwide. Before moving to North Carolina, Paul and Holly served in Cameroon, where their passion for this work first began.

JERRY & BETH TUCKER

  • Caring for Christian Workers
  • Southern California

Jerry and Beth help prepare new missionaries for the field by leading orientation, providing training, building teams, and offering mentorship during the first year of overseas service. They serve with Wycliffe, a Bible translation organization, and bring years of experience to this important work. Their work began in 1995 in the Philippines, where they served as dorm parents and teachers. Both Jerry and Beth grew up at Journey of Faith, and the church has been supporting their ministry for 30 years. They remain committed to serving for many years to come.

TOM SHECK

  • Youth Development
  • South Bay

 Tom serves as the South Bay Director for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. His goal is to see lives changed through the influence of athletes and coaches on middle school and high school campuses. FCA focuses on values like integrity, serving, teamwork, and excellence. The ministry equips students and coaches to grow in their faith and lead others by starting small group gatherings on campus, known as “Huddles.” These groups become places of encouragement, leadership, and spiritual growth within the school community.

CODY & LEXI SCRIVENS

  • Meeting Community and Church Needs
  • Dublin, Ireland

 Cody and Lexie are serving in Ireland, partnering with a local church to build relationships and share the message of Jesus. Their work takes place in a culture shaped by both deep religious tradition and growing secularism. Navigating this tension is challenging, especially in light of Ireland’s complex religious history, but they remain committed to reaching people who often feel distant from faith.

BRYAN & JACINDA MARTIN

  • Meeting Community Needs
  • Philippines

 The Martin family is planting churches in the Philippines through World Team. One of the key ways they serve is by caring for creation. They work with vulnerable communities that are struggling as natural resources become scarce. By teaching sustainable practices for managing the environment, they help meet practical needs while also creating space to share about God’s design for humanity and introduce people to the Creator.

BARBARA LEE

  • Caring for Christian Workers
  • San Diego, CA

Barbara supports missionary families by helping their children access quality education and navigate the many transitions that come with cross-cultural life. She currently leads the Indonesia MK (Missionary Kid) Care and Education Team, providing guidance, resources, and support for families across the region. In late 2025, she will join the U.S.-based MK Care and Education Team, where she will train new missionaries, equip education consultants, offer academic testing, and provide personalized educational help for families preparing to serve.

K & L

  • Starting New Churches
  • Southeast Asia

L and K are working to start churches among ten large, unreached, and unengaged people groups in Southeast Asia. They also lead a growing team that has expanded from 11 to 22 units since the pandemic, increasing their reach and impact in the region.

TIM & ERICKA HARRIS

  • Caring for Christian Workers
  • Oregon

 Tim and Ericka Harris understand the preparation, training, and lifelong commitment it takes to serve in missions. Their work has included cross-cultural ministry throughout Latin America, including eight years living and serving in Costa Rica with their family. Out of a desire to support those serving in demanding ministry roles, they provide pastoral care to missionaries, pastors, and ministry leaders around the world. Through their R.E.S.T. initiative—Retreat, Encouragement, Safety, and Transformation—they offer spaces for leaders on every major continent to step away, recharge, and return to their work with renewed strength and clarity.

MARK & BRENDA HALL

  • Starting New Churches
  • Guadalajara, Mexico

Mark and Brenda Hall moved to Guadalajara, Mexico, in 2018, where Mark now serves as a teaching pastor at English Fellowship. The church brings together people from different cultures, backgrounds, and denominations, serving both international residents and Mexican nationals living in the city for work. Although their focus is now in Mexico, they remain connected to their previous work in Guatemala, where they spent 18 years investing in the lives of young people. Their move to Guadalajara opens new doors to build relationships, support the local community, and share the message of Jesus in meaningful and relevant ways.

RICH FRAZER

  • Developing Indigenous Pastors
  • Nepal and North India

The Fraziers serve with an organization called SOS, which stands for Spiritual Overseers Service International. Rick serves as the president and helps lead the organization’s three core objectives. The first is evangelism, which focuses on spreading the message of Jesus. The second is discipleship, aimed at strengthening the global Church. And the third is compassion, which means meeting the physical and spiritual needs of fellow believers. The Fraziers train Christian leaders and partner with Tabernacle Ministries in Nepal and North India. Through this work, SOS is mentoring more than 100 leaders who are reaching urban migrants with God’s love.

MARK & LISA DENEUI

  • Developing Indigenous Pastors
  • France

 Mark is a Bible teacher focused on the New Testament who trains church leaders and church planters in French-speaking Europe. Lisa teaches English as a Foreign Language and French, using her skills to build relationships and serve the local community while sharing her faith. Together, Mark and Lisa serve with a network of church plants in the city of Strasbourg. They are committed to making Christ’s love known by partnering with the local French church to love their neighbors, share the gospel, and disciple new believers.

D & J

  • Meeting Community Needs
  • Southeast Asia

D and J are building relationships with an unreached people group in Southeast Asia. Their hope is to see a new community of believers grow through intentional disciple-making and personal connection.

JOSEPH BRADFORD IV

  • Meeting Community Needs
  • Los Angeles, CA

Joseph launched his nonprofit, B.A.R.E. Truth, Inc., in 2018 to serve individuals and families in Los Angeles facing homelessness, food insecurity, and other critical needs. Through mentorship, independent living support, housing assistance, and wellness services, Joseph and his team help people move toward healthier, purpose-filled lives. They also host weekly feeding events on Skid Row in downtown Los Angeles. B.A.R.E. stands for Balance, Ambition, Respect, and Encouragement.

BILL ANKERBERG

  • Developing Indigenous Pastors
  • Estonia

Bill leads a missions movement in the Nordic-Baltic region, focusing especially on Estonia, where fewer than 2% of people identify as Christian. His work includes supporting church planters, developing local leaders, strengthening compassion ministries, and mentoring pastors and missionaries across both the Baltics and Scandinavia. This ministry began in 2008 and continues to grow in reach and impact.

PAT & BETH ANDREWS

  • Bible Translation
  • Arlington, TX

 Pat serves with Seed Company, a subsidiary of Wycliffe Bible Translators, as Director of Field Projects for the Pacific Region and as a Translation Consultant. He helps oversee translation work in more than 60 languages, coordinating efforts across 11 organizations and 28 internships. Many of Pat’s teams are based in remote island communities, which often presents communication and travel challenges. Even so, Pat makes it a priority to visit his project teams and interns each year.

DENNIS & DENISE AHERN

  • Caring for Christian Workers
  • Washington State

Since 1992, the Aherns have provided counseling and care to missionaries in more than forty countries. They have a deep understanding of the unique needs, challenges, and opportunities that come with full-time ministry. Their commitment to supporting ministry workers led them to open a retreat center in Washington state called Selah Glen, where they host and lead pastoral care retreats. Through this work, the Aherns are able to care for those who spend their lives caring for others.

MIGUEL & MARIA ADAME

  • Church Planting
  • Baja Mexico

Pastor Miguel leads a growing church in Mexicali, Mexico, where he and his family have been serving the community since 2013. Their church runs weekly Bible studies, monthly outreach events, and provides a steady, welcoming presence in the neighborhood. In 2024, they opened a free private Christian elementary school that supports students with special needs or who are considered at-risk. Journey of Faith has partnered with this ministry through more than a dozen short-term mission trips.

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