A Walk Of Excellence

A WALK OF EXCELLENCE—1Thessalonians 4:1-12

In previous chapters/verses we have seen:

‘A Faith that Soothes the Soul’—1:1-10

‘A Ministry that Shepherds the Soul’—2:1-12

‘The Work of the Word’—2:13-16

‘The Undershepherd’s Chief Concern’—2:17-3:13

Now we will look at...

‘A Walk of Excellence’—4:1-12

Paul, Sylvanus & Timothy expected the church at Thessalonica to excel in their Christian walk.

The church of God is expected to excel/abound in their Christian walk.

What disciplines direct the life of an abounding Christian/church?

4 disciplines of an abounding Christian / Church.

1—A discipline of an abounding Christian/Church is....

One’s RECEPTIVITY(:1-2)

Explanation:(:1-2)

:1—"Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more, just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God;”

“Finally”—??????—Remaining, the rest.

“Urge/Beseech/Request”—??????—To question; To ask—Denotes the form of a request.

“Exhort”—?????????—To call to one’s side, call for, summon; To address, speak to, (call to, call upon), which may be done in the way of exhortation, entreaty, comfort, instruction, etc.

“Abound/Excel”[See ‘Increase’ :10]—?????????—To exceed a fixed number of measure, to be left over & above a certain number or measure. Used of a flower going from bud to full bloom.

“More & more/Still more”—??????—More, to a greater degree, rather—Much, by far—Rather, sooner—More willingly, more readily, sooner.

“Ought”—???—It is necessary, there is need of, it behooves, is right & proper—Suggestive of moral obligation, denoting esp. that constrain which arises from divine appointment.

“Walk”—?????????—To walk—To make one’s way, progress; to make due use of opportunities—Hebrew for, to live——To regulate one’s life——To conduct one’s self——To pass one’s life.

“Please”—??????—To please; To strive to please—To accommodate one’s self to the opinions desires & interests of others.

:2—“for you know what commandments we gave you through the Lord Jesus.”

“Commandments”—??????????— Announcement, a proclaiming or giving a message to; A charge, a command.

Argumentation:

Jn. 1:12-13—“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

Acts 2:36-41—““Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord & Christ--this Jesus whom you crucified.” Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, & said to Peter & the rest of the apostles, “Brethren, what shall we do?” And Peter said to them, “Repent, & let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; & you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. “For the promise is for you & your children, & for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God shall call to Himself.” And with many other words he solemnly testified & kept on exhorting them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation!” So then, those who had received his word were baptized; & there were added that day about three thousand souls.”

Illustration:

Tie-Dyed shirts/Fabric is receptive to dyes/Compliance with twisting & tieing make it receptive to a greater or lesser degree depending on the will of the Dyer/RECEPTIVITY

Application:

?You Disciplined in your RECEPTIVITY?

?You have a Walk of Ecellence?

2—A discipline of an abounding Christian/Church is....

One’s DISTANCE(:3b-8)

Explanation/Argumentation:(:3b-8) Abstinance

:3—“For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality;”

“Sanctification”[See :4]—????????—consecration, purification; The effect of consecration— Sanctification of heart & life.

“Abstain”—????????—To hold one’s self off, refrain, abstain.

“Sexual immorality”—???????—Illicit sexual intercourse.

Jn. 17:14-16—““I have given them Thy word; & the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. “I do not ask Thee to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. “They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.”

Not that we should exit this world but that we will allow God to be the change agent for good in this world.

:4—“that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor,”

“Vessel”—??????—A vessel; An implement; "Vessel" was a common Greek metaphor for "body" since Greeks thought of souls living temporarily in bodies.

*May mean one’s wife! as well as one’s own body—Husband & wife are to be “one flesh”

Mat. 19:5-6—“& said, ‘FOR THIS CAUSE A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER, AND SHALL CLEAVE TO HIS WIFE; AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH’? “Consequently they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.””

“Sanctification”[See :3]—????????—consecration, purification; The effect of consecration— Sanctification of heart and life.

“Honor”—????—A valuing by which the price is fixed; Honor which belongs or is shown to one.