When Good Enough Isn't Good Enough Series

NOTE:

This is a manuscript, and not a transcript of this message. The actual presentation of the message differed from the manuscript through the leading of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, it is possible, and even likely that there is material in this manuscript that was not included in the live presentation and that there was additional material in the live presentation that is not included in this manuscript.

› Engagement

Mary and I got married the summer before my last semester of college. By that time I figured that if I took a class in summer school and then took 21 units in the fall semester, I could graduate a semester early and get a “real job”. Since I was already working 3 part time jobs while going to school, I knew that would be a challenge, but to me it as worth it not to have to spend the time and money to go to school one more semester.

While I needed to take several classes in my business major, I also had room in my schedule for a couple of electives, so I found a class called “Techniques of Interviewing”, or something like that. And my first day of class confirmed I had made a wise choice. The class was set up so that in order to get a “C” and pass the class all I needed to do was to come to class every time it met. To get a “B”, I had to also record an interview and to get an “A” I had to do all that and also write a paper.

By the middle of the semester I had already secured a job with a top CPA firm, so I decided that it was going to be “good enough” to just get my first “C” in college so that I could graduate. So I went to class and that was it.

› Tension

As I look back on that decision, given the circumstances I still think it was the right decision. But I also realize that in life “good enough” is not always good enough. And, as we’ll see clearly this morning, that is certainly the case when it comes to my relationship with Jesus Christ.

The very fact that Jesus needed to come to earth and die on a cross to make it possible for me to have a relationship with God is due to the fact that “good enough” is not good enough. Because I am a sinful human being I will never be able to be good enough to have a relationship with a holy God based on anything I can do. So I have to depend on Jesus and what He has done for me and put my faith in Him.

Maybe that is why once we’ve made the decision to put our faith in Jesus, it’s so easy to assume that in our walk with Him it’s okay to settle for “good enough”. After all, my eternal destiny is assured, so what difference does it make how I live my life here on earth? If we’re honest, I think we’ve all fallen into that trap at times. I know I have.

› Truth

But this morning, we are going to see that in our walk with Jesus, good enough is never good enough. The very fact that Paul wrote the letter to the church in Thessalonica, and all the letters to the other churches he established, is proof of that. Paul could have very easily just kept a spreadsheet of how many people had made decisions for Jesus everywhere he went - 150 in Philippi, 500 in Thessalonica, 200 in Berea, 100 in Athens, etc. That’s how a lot of churches and denominations operate today. And most of the big rallies and crusades also focus on the number of conversions or decisions.

But Paul wasn’t satisfied with the fact that people had made decisions. And he didn’t want them to be satisfied with that either. So he wrote letters and sent associates back to these churches to make sure that they didn’t settle for good enough. We’re going to see that clearly this morning.

1 Thessalonians 4:1–12 ESV

Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more. For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.