Living to please
1Thess. 4:1-4:12
Introduction-
This morning we are going to talk a minute about living.
About living to please God, and living to please self.
And if we are to really understand what the Bible says about living, living to please God will produce a life of happiness in you.
1 Thess. 4:1-4:12
The purpose of Paul’s writing to the church of Thessalonica was he had to leave quickly (Acts 17) because of persecution.
He writes the letter to encourage new believers and give instruction for godly living.
to give assurance of the future of believers who die before Jesus returns.
The church is thriving despite persecution. Sometimes I think churches in America have it to easy. It is why we don’t take serious God’s commandments and Gods commission to speak to others and most live for self.
He begins this chapter telling God’s people how to live in order to please God.
(3)” It is God’s will that you should be sanctified”- As Nazarenes, we hold to that truth.
Sanctification is to be cut or separate, to be set apart.
Consecrated to God.
Sanctification is the next best thing after being saved- saved by grace! Sanctified by the Holy Spirit working in our lives to allow us to live a holy and pleasing life to God.
2 things come to mind in definition of sanctification.
Separation from evil
Drawing close to God
You must do both to accomplish what the Lord wants for your life. “It is God’s will”
One way that God tells us how we can live is to “walk” with God.
Metaphor used as the Christian way to live. It points us to steady progress.
It tells us that by walking with God we will develop the mind of Christ.
Illustration-
I love baseball. The highlight of my high school career happened when I hit a home run in the district playoffs. My brother was on second base, and I mean I blasted one out of the park in left center field. Did I tell you how hard I hit it. The point I am trying to make is that if you are going to be a good hitter in baseball- you have to be ready for the fastball, but anticipating and being able to hit the curve ball. It is the same in life, be ready for the fast paced, everything in your face situations that keep us always on our toes, but you also have to be ready for those unexpected thing s that you were not ready for.
(2) instructions are given to be able to live that life God desires for us.
First instruction- Be Sanctified! Walk with God!
Did you know that holiness and Phariasm are not the same thing?
Holiness is purity of heart and comes from allowing God to make changes in your life.
Pharism is outward system of law. A set of rules. It is always ready to measure, criticize, condemn, judge and punish.
Holiness flows out of a heart of love and is ready to forgive.
The Bible tells us that we should be set apart and different.
When someone looks at your life (and they will- they are) there should be a difference from those that have not yet accepted Christ.
What did the Lord tell the church in Thessalonica that they should do:
1) Avoid sexual immorality
2) Control your body
3) Do no wrong to your brothers and sisters in the Lord.
Because even though they were in the church, they were not immune to temptations.
He speaks to past life and old habits that are hard to get rid of-
(anybody know what I am talking about?)
Luke-
“Jesus, who knew no sin, grew in manner similar to the growth of other men.”
Jesus our role model who knew no sin- continued to grow.
Peter
“Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 3:18)
Believers must study, pray, witness, and grow!
Improve their effectiveness as a Christian.
You have heard me say before- “get out of the box, Go to the deep end,” well, that is what the Lord is telling us in this passage.
You come to Christ- great! God desires not only to save your soul, but empower you to live a life that goes to a much deeper level and if you are ever going to make that happen, you will need the Holy Spirit to be working in your life.
Peter walking on the water was a great experience.
When he lost his focus of the Lord, he sank and the Lord was there to pick him up and get him refocused.
So, I am not just telling you to go to the deep end of the lake and jump out. I am telling you that if the Lord is directing your life, that when you slip and sink, He will pick you up and get you refocused again.
Illustration-
A contractor several years ago in Israel wanted to place a plexy- glass walkway on the Sea of Galilee. So people could experience what Peter experienced by walking on water.
God is tired of believers trying to fake it- He is looking for genuine believers that want to experience God in a new and fresh way and are radical enough to believe that with God’s direction, they too can walk on water and experience the fullness of all that God offers us as believers.
“Go to the deep end- and leave behind the old habits that ruled you before you came to Christ.
What does that mean?
Walk worthy of your calling!
“Whatever happens, conduct yourself in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.”
“As a prisoner of the Lord, then I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.”
Peter quoting from Leviticus
“Wherefore, gird up your loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought into you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lust in your ignorance, but as he which hath called is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation because it is written be ye holy, for I am holy.”
Point number one in the books- God desires us to live holy life and to be sanctified.
The second point comes in verses 7-12 (helping others)
The Lord tells us that he gives us instructions on how to live that sanctified life and that if we don’t take those instructions that you are not rejecting man, you are rejecting God and the power of the Holy Spirit that He has sent to us.
(9-12) Read form Bible
I’m not going to talk about brotherly love, because your doing it! But says
“Yet we urge you, brothers, to do more and more.”
What does he mean by that?
It’s like I said last week- average people do what is expected, and God’s people do what is expected and then some. And then some is what makes the difference.
Believers should love their neighbors.
Sanctified believers should do it more and more- purposely looking for ways to reach out to people around us.
As we process through growth in Christ- we should be doing more for people.
Illustration-
Sometimes a trash bag can sit right in front of us so long that we no longer see it. Sometimes things accepted by the world is viewed by believers as acceptable when it should always be looked at through Christ eyes.
We would not purposely hurt someone, but are we purposefully looking to help someone.
Are you in deeper water of faith today than you were a year ago at this time?
Second point complete; helping others-are you purposely taking time for others.
The last point comes from verse 11
“Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, mind your own business and to work with your hands just like we told you.”
You heard the term “idle hands is the devils playground.” That is not biblical, but there is truth to it.
Too much idle time will cause you to do things that you should not be doing.
Make it a point to lead a quiet life- a life without drama- some people have drama everyday of their life.
If it does not happen to them, they make it happen for someone else.
Mind your own business- don’t shoot the messenger!
Too much idleness and you begin getting into peoples affairs that have nothing to do with you.
Why did Paul say this? Because inside that church was things that need to be addressed.
Praying this week and praying about the need to fix America, God said He had to fix the church first so that He could use the church to fix America.
Idle hands need to be working.
Idle minds need to be thinking.
Idle feet need to be walking.
People needing help, we are to be helping. Idle hands and minds that are not being productive, the Lord says that they are not being obedient Christians.
Closing
Where does this passage take us?
That God gives instructions to each of us on how to live and the only way to live that life is to allow the Holy Spirit to actively work in our lives.
He is telling us that he has given instructions and if we do not receive it, it is personally rejecting God and the Holy Spirit that He has sent us to live that powerful life.
He warns us that loving your neighbor is good, but as we process through growth in Crhist, we should desire to do it more and more.
Idle hands are minds are dangerous for the believer. We just keep busy and involved so that we do not have time to be tempted by things that are not pleasing to the Lord.
I know that the Lord has said something to each one of us, what are you going ot do with it?
Receive his instruction or reject it?
Altar Call.
