INTRODUCTION
Some time ago, I was presented with a challenge! A lady within my home congregation said something about a sermon she had never heard. She said that she had attended church since she was 6 and never, EVER heard a sermon on this scripture! Far be it from me to back down from a challenge! So tonight I want us to look at I Thess. the fourth chapter and evaluate an important lesson in life that all of us, from the youngest to the eldest, can take to heart and apply. I have entitled this sermon The Quiet Life, and as we are about to find out, there’s nothing easy or silent about this way of living!
READ I THESS 4:11
I. THE QUIET LIFE
Today, the phrase "quiet life" suggests one of rest, or silent. But we as Christians are suppose to exude zeal and passion for the Christ we serve, right? Taken literally in our terms, being "quiet" is in conflict with proclaiming the gospel. Let’s look at it this way:
(Reference Steven Dow’s Illustration on Aqueduct)
In our language, the word "quiet" refers to sound. However, when the Greek is investigated, we find a much broader range of meaning. When we look at the ways that this Greek word is used, we see an underlying theme of tranquility of spirit. So quiet doesn’t mean we sit in our pews and become bumps on logs. We must remain faithful to Christ and serve Him however we can, or else be destroyed by our idleness.
Who better than Paul himself to demonstrate this quiet life in action. In Acts the 17th chapter, Paul went to speak to the Jews of Thessalonica and several formed up a mob to get him. (READ ACTS 17) Rather than fight, he went on to the next city. Just a few verses up in verse 10, look at what happened. (READ VERSE 17:10) What do we see here! Not once, but twice, the very city being wrote to about the quiet life attacked Paul. Notice that Paul doesn’t slam them around, call them names, point fingers, or attack their character. In love, he demonstrates resolve that more Christians need to exhibit in this modern time. Instead of undermining them, he seeks to build them up and motivate them to action!
Self-control is one of the fruits of the Spirit, and when exercised, our lives will be characterized by an inner strength and peace that Paul is referring to here. People should be able to see Christians as being at peace in times of conflict, not given to outbursts of anger, criticism, or violence. The first reaction to conflict should be one of strength and direction. Love will always open more doors than anger or exorbitant emotion. Passion is essential if we are to be solid Christians, but there are also three little letters that can come before that word that can make a world of difference. When Jesus saw the multitudes, what did He feel? COMpassion! If we are to seek the quiet life, we must first seek compassion for God’s desire in our life, the needs of others, as well as for our own needs. Does this give us free reign to correct everyone we see making mistakes? Paul warns us to...
III. MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS
Paraphrase: Keep your nose clean and keep it out of others lives! This also sounds a bit contrary to the gospel, doesn’t it? How can we tell others that they have a sin problem if we don’t get into their business? There is a difference here between showing concern for an individual’s spiritual needs and becoming a “Busybody,” seeking nitpicky excuses to get involved in the lives of others. Yes, we should watch out for one another’s welfare. Yes, we should also seek to help each other overcome our weaknesses. And, no, we can not make these words sound like we shouldn’t seek to reprove, rebuke or restore an erring brother!
Just as in the case of Paul and the Thessalonians, he saw that a spiritual need was there and it needed to be corrected, and thus he writes them. Did he seek to intimidate them or embarrass them? Did he go to a committee to back his actions up? No! He confronted them on his own and in the Spirit, and reproofed them accordingly in love. Now I know that most of the time, we don’t seek to cause problems or blast someone. But, I know in my own past that I am guilty of this as well. If we can get too involved or too passionate about service over self-control, we end up pushing people further away than they were when we started. This goes for Christians as well as the lost. What happens when someone who works for the kingdom makes a mistake? If it is the first time, do we A) bring it before the Church publicly, B) talk about it behind the individual’s back, or C) pull them to the side and privately and in love speak about the problem? According to Matthew 18:15 and Acts 18:24-28, the answer is C.
The Bible refers to the tongue as a double edged sword for a major purpose. If nothing else is to be learned tonight, then this to be made very clear and taken note of! The tongue is the human body’s most deadly weapon. In a single word, you can damage your testimony for Christ—not just temporarily, but for the rest of your life here on Earth.
(Reference Donnie Martin’s illustration on the whelk)
Think before you speak! Because this double-edged sword can also be one of God’s greatest healing instruments. When love is used to explain our position instead of our own desires for what we think is right, then not only are there no hurt feelings, but there is peace—The very tranquility that Paul is talking about here. The peace and quiet that we desire in our lives and in our Church cannot exist unless we maintain a proper distinction between true loving concern for our brothers’ welfare and pure opinion-based busybodyness.
If we are to be beacons of truth, and show the world we seek peace, then all of us should be able to present our as examples of that peace. You cannot teach patience to a child while loosing your mind. You cannot teach them to save, budget, and spend wisely, while “rewarding yourself” with the MasterCard. You will not teach them to be sincere and kind, while you unmercifully gossip about the flaws of others behind their backs. Likewise, to live in this quiet life is to be an example to those lost children of the world who might be looking for a further reason to rebel against their Father, or who might be looking in to find out what’s in store for if they seek a closer relationship with Him. There is one more point that Paul expresses in this quiet lifestyle:
IV. WORK WITH YOUR OWN HANDS
This is actually a two-prong statement by Paul. In Thessalonica, some of the people within the church had quit working altogether in order to be ready for Christ’s immediate returned, or they had given up looking for work because of the persecution that came with being a Christian. This was going against Christ’s teaching, because simply put, if a man didn’t work, he didn’t eat. Failing to provide for one’s family makes one worse than an unbeliever (See I Timothy 5:8). God rewards hard work and diligence with His blessing, and although from time to time, we may need assistance from our brethren (or even our government), we are not to rely on this exclusively. Remember to be content with what you have.
The second part of this involves the work of the church. It is important for each of us to do our part in building up the body of Christ, but it isn’t important to get into details and specifics. I don’t have to go and tell a congregation or individual that I have given out “X” number of pamphlets, “X” number of bibles, witnessed to “X” number of people, and baptized “X” number of Christians. That’s not what Christ seeks. He wants people to know who He is and how they can become involved in a relationship with Him, and not about numbers or experiences we have within this work. Why else would Paul write and tie all of this in together?
In Matthew 6:1-6, Christ talks about the giving of alms and prayers in secret, not seeking glory as the hypocrites did. Paul said in I Corinthians 1 that he was glad he didn’t baptize many in the city, because of the divisions it was causing, and stated that he had not been crucified for them! He didn’t seek to brag, as the people did. It wasn’t about the who, what, when, where, why, or how’s that the people came to know and obey Christ. It was that they obediently sought the Kingdom. Through our work, Christ is built up, but why be proud and pound your chest saying “I brought them to Christ!” NO! They came to you, you planted a seed, and Christ was present the whole time. You didn’t deliver them! He did, and we should quietly respected and revere the fact that He can do that, just as it was done for us. If I can’t bring myself to salvation, how can I another person? We must remember to be diligent in HIS work and not work for our own ambitions. Seek the quiet life and it will all work out for His greater glory.
V. CONCLUSION
Remember how this verse started off? It said that we have to make it our ambition to seek this quiet life. Ambition requires diligence and determination, not to mention patience, understanding, motivation, and persistence. Not too quiet is it? Definitely a lot more than sitting still and saying nothing! But not enough to cause us to stress over. Remember, God will meet our needs if we are obedient to His will in our lives. The Lord wants us to practice peace as much now as He did then. Division can come from many angles, and be started with the tiniest words, but if we seek to be still and listen to the Word of God over our own tongues, then walls that divide us will fall down and peace will create solid unity. I Thess. 5:12 reads that we should live in peace with one another…Live in tranquility with one another…Live in Christ with one another. We have to be willing to call Him the sole Lord of our life and be obedient to His Will.
