1 Thessalonians 5:19-22 "PLEASING GOD THROUGH SANCTIFIED OBEDIENCE TO HIS REVELATION"

Our general theme at this time is  “Pleasing God through sanctified living ”,  from 1 Thessalonians 4  and 5. 

The subject of sanctification is extremely important, for it must follow our   experience of  our justification. You cannot divide the two anymore than you can split an atom. We all know that splitting atoms has disastrous consequences!

It is crucially important that we need to hear this. There are some that teach that Christians may receive Christ as Saviour, but not necessarily as Lord . What they are saying is that they have a religious experience in which they come to accept Christ as their Saviour, but in practice they find that their desire for discipleship does not follow. So they call themselves Christians, but find that they have no power to live like Christians . Now that’s really splitting the issue with disastrous consequences. When Christ called His disciples , and when He calls us , He says “ follow me”, and “love me with your whole heart , soul , mind and strength “. And then He teaches us that if we abide in Him (John 15) – i.e. draw our strength from Him, we will be able to bear much fruit (Jn. 15:5). A Christian is  a fruitful person by design – precisely because Christ through the indwelling Holy Spirit produces fruit in keeping with our repentance.

I simply point out that if you have believed in Christ and if you have been justified by grace through faith, then it must also follow that you should obey your Lord – and all the more as the teaching of the Scriptures becomes clearer and clearer .

The race is not finished simply because we have started. Neither is the race a concluded matter because we have started well . You all know the story of the race between the hare and the tortoise – and you know who won ! The tortoise, slow starter that she was , won because she persevered . The rabbit started with an impressive sprint but fell down exhausted before the finish line. Starting well is great – but it is not what matters . Finishing well is what counts .

So your justification must be followed by sanctification; you must persevere to the end.

Now, the Thessalonians were commended by Paul because he knew that they had started well. “The gospel had come to you not only in Word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction.” BUT how did they continue? see 1:6-10!

The Thessalonians gave rich evidence of a sanctified lifestyle. But we saw that Paul exhorted them not to sit on their laurels – he says “ do so more and more !”(4:1,10) .

And so we find the apostle Paul writing to them: “For this is the will of God – your sanctification…”.

Now there are many aspects to that sanctification, that process of growing away from sin and toward the image of Jesus. Paul addressed a number of them:

1. Sanctification of our sexuality purity (4:3-8)

2. Sanctification of brotherly love (4:9-12)

Then Paul digresses for a moment to consider the “coming of the Lord “ (4:3- 5:11) – addressing some misapplications of this great doctrine. It seems as if certain people in the church were saying that the coming of the Lord was near, and therefore they stopped working and gave themselves up to a life of idleness. It is of course true that we must always live in anticipation of the sudden  coming of our King. He said that He would come like a thief in the night ( 5:2  see also Matt 24:43,44), but we must not become idle (often mentioned in the 2 letters to the Thessalonians ) just because we suspect that the Lord may return soon.  

Back to the matter of sanctification : Paul is a very practical theologian . He never thinks in terms of doctrine as the Greek philosophers did . They loved philosophy because it teased their brains and sharpened their logical thinking skills – but it did very little else. Above all it often lacked practicality.

Paul is always concerned as to how truth works itself out in practice, and so in the closing words of this epistle, he gives a few more practical hints on sanctified living in the church.

3. Sanctified relationship with the elders of the church (5:12-13).

4. Sanctified relationship with those that struggle in the church (5:14-15)

5. Sanctified life also includes rich “dosages” of joy , prayer and thanksgiving  (5:16-18)

And now…

5:19- 22: “A life pleasing to God through a sanctified obedience to the Revelation from God.”

Now I want to show you that your obedience and submission to the Holy Spirit’s work and His revealed Word (prophecy) is crucial to your sanctification! Paul reminds us,“Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies…”

There is unfortunately much abuse and neglect in the modern church in this area. There are those who, on the one hand  abuse the Spirit, claiming prophecies and revelations that are not from Him, and  then there are those who make altogether little of Him. Thankfully Paul gives us a directive with respect to this: “… test everything; hold fast to what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.” Having taken note of the abuses, let us not miss the obvious point.We must not quench the Spirit. We must not treat prophecies with contempt .We must test everything and hold fast to what is good!

Now what does this mean? And how does it help us to grow in sanctification?

a. Do Not Extinguish (Quench) the Spirit (v. 19)

The word used here for ‘quench’ in its other occurrences in the New Testament is used to putting out fire. This term is used here metaphorically to warn us not to quench - not to put out the Spirit’s fire. Simply stated this means that we must not hinder or oppose the work and the gifts of the Spirit. The Pharisees did that (see Matt 12:22-32). They attributed the work of the Spirit to Satan! Jesus tells them that this sort of persistent blasphemy (for they kept on saying this) is tantamount to the unforgivable sin.

In view of this and what we read in v.20 about prophecies we may come to the conclusion that some in the church may have been resisting the gift of prophecy. This was certainly the case in Corinth. There the gift of prophecy was being ignored because of an overzealous emphasis on the showy gifts like speaking in tongues (see 1 Cor. 12-14).

b. Do not despise (treat with contempt) prophecies (v. 20)

The gift of prophecy was the ability to receive and communicate direct revelations from God. Now here is an important aspect to consider. Before the NT was completed  this was an important part of the church’s ministry. It still is an important part of the church’s ministry, but I want to suggest that the prophetic element today has become more reliant and subject to the ministry of the written Word, since in Christ the revelation from God is now complete  see  Hebr. 1:1-3). In that sense we do not need spontaneous ecstatic prophecies, whereby a ‘gifted person’ stands up in church and prophesies – either concerning future events (e.g. Acts 11:28), or by way of bringing God’s word on a present event (Acts 13:2).

How do we understand prophecy? Let me try to explain: The Puritan William Perkins (1558-1602) wrote a treatise entitled, “The art of prophesying”. William Perkins wrote this book for fellow preachers because he was concerned that the “main business was to preach Christ, and to reach the heart.” Perkins believed that preaching should “rip up the hearts of those that heard it, and by the same token he saw the preacher as a spiritual doctor whose knowledge of the biblical remedies enabled him to bathe the wounds and heal the spiritual sicknesses of God’s people with the grace of Christ.”

Now when I read this, I think immediately of the OT prophets. Their prophecies under the hand of God were spiritually very challenging and exposing. They ripped open their hearers hearts!

For those who had the grace to see the truth of these words, they became life giving.

But many hated the prophets on this account and that is why many of them were eventually killed. The greatest prophet was Jesus. He was killed!

But their prophesying was not heartless. Yes, it was severe, but it was not heartless. It was intended to bring healing to those who would hear and obey!

Perhaps you will understand now that your preacher may be a prophet, if he opens the Word to you, and says forcefully and filled with heavenly conviction and contemporary application - “ thus says the Lord…! ”

Now for argument’s sake let us consider how God may be using this series of sermons to speak prophetically into the life of this church: 

We  have read  His inspired Word.  I have spent many hours this week studying  and praying  to understand this Word – ‘hearing from God’ –  for it must first speak to my own heart, and  then I  must relay  this to you as faithfully and accurately as is humanly possible. So then, do we have sufficient reason to  expect to hear God speaking to us? Absolutely!  Well, what has God spoken to us about aver the last few weeks? "In the Lord Jesus " (1  Thess. 4:1), God has spoken to us about sexual immorality… the need for brotherly love … relating to church leadership … helping those that are struggling etc …! Do you get the point ?

Does this mean that you must swallow everything that comes to you from this pulpit? Yes and No!  "Yes"  because of the reasons  I have just given, but  "no", because you  have a duty to test all things. 

c. Examine All Things (v. 21a)

Let me begin with the context. Apparently, however, certain “idle” brothers (v. 14; cf. 4:11, 12) had misused this gift by providing false information regarding the Lord’s return. This may have caused the church at Thessalonica to despise prophecy in general. Their tendency now was not to listen to any prophetic messages! Paul warns against such an overreaction and urges the church to give prophecies their proper place in edifying its members.

But there is an even greater reason to examine all things. The Lord Jesus wants His church  to be aware that  false prophets would arise. Therefore there must be careful discernment of the message of a prophet. Thus, Paul ends with this positive command, “ Test everything“.  Don't be naive! Be discerning   Imitate the Bereans who  tested everything by the standard of Scripture (Acts 17:11) 

In 1 Cor 12:10 and 14:29 discernment is a spiritual gift to be used in conjunction with the gift of prophecy. It consists of an ability to discern whether what a prophet has said is true.

Just because somebody preaches from the Bible it does not mean the message is truly biblical. There  can be much  Scripture twisting and proof-texting in the churches.

Perhaps nothing is more difficult than to skillfully handle the Word (2 Tim. 2:15) so that we put away our own preconceived understanding and theological biases, bringing  ourselves under God’s Word. This is one of the reasons God places a greater responsibility on teachers (James 3:1).

d. Hold fast what Is good (v. 21b)

Obviously, once what is heard is discovered to be “good,” and  in  agreement  with the Word  of God, and in proper  context, then we must hold fast to it.

e. Abstain from every form of evil (v. 22)

After  we  have examined  everything carefully and  if we have found anything that does not correspond to the Word of God  then we must take our distance from ungodly, unbiblical  practise or thinking.  Avoid it. Don’t be taken captive by it.

SUMMARY :

These aspects then  are a  part of our sanctification, and it forms part of Paul’s ultimate prayer for the Thessalonians (5:23-24) : “ Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful.  He will surely do it. Amen!

1 Thessalonians 5: 16- 18 "A Life Pleasing to God Through Joyful , Prayerful , Thankful Hearts"

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“To live above with saints we love – oh Lord that will be glory!

To live below with saints we know – well that’s a different story!”

I do not know who penned these words, but we must admit that they are all to true!

At the beginning of this year we have been meditating on 1 Thessalonians 4 and 5  and it has been my intention to remind you from the Scriptures that our life together as saints of God is ordained by God to be lived in purity and holiness (4:7). This principle must not be scorned. Paul admonishes the Thessalonian Christians: “whoever disregards this, disregards not man, but God, who gives His Holy Spirit to you.”  We have every reason to work hard at matters of sanctification with the enabling power of God who gives His Holy Spirit to us:

 “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling , for it is God who works in you , both to will and to work for His good pleasure “ (Phil 2:12.13). 

 Obedience is pleasing to God, and it is the end to which we are created: To please God for “…we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, so that we should walk in them.” (Eph. 2:10).

Knowing the Thessalonians , and knowing that ‘the gospel had come to them in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction’ ( 1 Thess. 1:5) Paul provided them with a whole list of things in which they were in fact already pleasing God ( 4:1) and yet needed to do so more and more (4:1,10). 

The issues addressed were sexual purity (4:3-8), brotherly love (4:9-10), not to be a burden to anyone, and not to be idle, but to work with their own hands (4:11-12;  2 Thess. 3:6-12); to respect their elders (5:12-13), to relate well to one another (5:13) and to help those that are struggling in various areas of life (5:14) and to refrain from evil, doing good (5:15).

This is what we have covered so far, but we are not yet done with our text!

We are now ready to consider some further aspects of sanctification. In preparation for Prayer Week 2010,  I am therefore particularly pleased that we, in the providence of God, can deal with vv. 16-18.

Three Exhortations:

(i) Always rejoice (v. 16)

(ii) Always pray (v.17)

(iii) Always give thanks (v.18)

• These verses present three positive commands each are  governed by the phrase "for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus" (v.18).

• This is the second time in this letter where Paul declares what God’s will is (see 4:3ff).

We must therefore understand that “praise, prayer, and thanksgiving “are not optional extras for the Christian. God wills this. In the Greek this is reflected in the imperative mood (indicating a command) and in the present tense (indicating a present and ongoing action) – giving thus the force of “Do this continually…” This is God’s will for us, and we do well to examine ourselves whether these aspects form a part of the ongoing sanctification process of our lives.

1. "Rejoice always" (v. 16)

It is the will of God that all believers should always be rejoicing in every circumstance in life. The “joy” aspect is not difficult, but when we consider the “always”, it becomes difficult. This includes times of suffering. Paul had suffered much . The Thessalonian church had suffered greatly (1:6). If you are a Christian you will suffer (1 Peter 4:12).

How can we rejoice even in suffering? This is very difficult to explain to people whose faith has not been forged in the fire. But to those Christians that have been forged in the fire  they will tell you  that while such an experience was not pleasant, yet through that experience they have experienced joy and a peace  that has transcended their understanding (Phil 4:7). I have a  friend  in England who  has  just been diagnosed with a very aggressive form of cancer. It is  heartwarming  to  read of his peace and joy  even in this  difficult trial.

Maintaining a joyful spirit is always difficult when your focus is wrong - when your eyes are on the difficult and challenging situation. But when your focus and faith is in the Lord (His person, plan, principles, promises, and purposes), then even in the midst of setbacks, hurts and sufferings you can rejoice because you know that God is in control.

Christians therefore learn  must equip themselves with the knowledge of the Word of God.

• When you suffer rejoice by thinking of Jesus’ power (Luke 12:17), His resurrection (Matt. 28:8; Luke 24:52), His presence with the Father (John 14:28), His presence with believers (John 16:22; 20:20), His ultimate triumph (John 8:56).

• Then think of your place in heaven (Luke 10:20; Phil. 4:3); your hope of the glory of God (Rom. 5:2); your prospect of eternal rewards (Matt. 5:12; Luke 6:23).

• Then think of some more aspects that fill your heart with joy: Hearing the gospel (Acts 13:48), receiving the Lord (Luke 19:6; Acts 8:39), suffering with Christ (Acts 5:41, cf. 1 Pet. 4:13), suffering for the gospel (Phil. 2:17; Col. 1:24), the conversion of sinners (Luke 15:7; Acts 15:3), the manifestation of grace (Acts 11:23), the godly walk of believers (Rom. 16:19; 2 Cor. 7:4; 3 John 3, 4), the godly order of a church (Col. 2:5), receiving support and fellowship (Phil. 4:10), the rejoicing of others (Rom. 12:15, 2 Cor. 7:13), hearing of the well-being of others (2 Cor. 7:16).

When you think of the many ways in which the grace of God is manifested in the course of your every day, then it is not difficult to see how your joy can become constant (“always”).

Then think that this attitude was also in Christ (Hebr. 12:2). and if Christ lives in you then it can also be in you (Gal 2:20). Neh. 8:10 says “the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Joy has wonderful side effects. It gives you strength to carry on. It takes the burden out of difficult service and gives strength to endure. Joy is also a part of the fruit of the Spirit’s control as described in Gal 5:22f. The capacity to love people, to be longsuffering and to be kind is directly related to inner joy. Thus, it is needed always.

2. "Pray without ceasing" (v. 17)

“Pray always …” This is closely associated with the ability to ‘rejoice always’ and the ability to ‘give thanks always’. As mentioned, these imperatives are each stated in the present tense. So prayer is here commanded as an ongoing habit of the day. It may be in the form of praise or confession or thanksgiving or intercession or perhaps in the form of a personal request to God.

The word used here for prayer suggests the worshipful nature of prayer. It is derived from a preposition of motion and direction, [pros], “to, toward,” and a verb [euchomai], “to pray.” God is the object of prayer. He is the One you are moving towards. Prayer speaks to a Person. We plead and speak with God personally and persistently like the widow in Luke 18:1-8. This kind of prayer is not a meaningless babbling into space like the pagans who think that they will be heard because of their many words (Matt 6:7). It is not like the mechanically repetition of numerous ‘Hail Mary’s , or the endless mantras of the Hindu or Buddhist worshipper. Christian prayer is a personal, ongoing conversation with God. Prayer is the language of dependence, and the more dependent you are upon God, the more you pray. Remember that this is God’s will for you!

3. "Give thanks in all circumstances “(v.18)

This threesome series of commands is now completed with giving thanks in all circumstances. We have no problems in giving thanks when favorable events happen.

But what about the unfavorable events? “… I have lost a job. My wife has got cancer. I am a widow or  a  divorcee …”

How can we be thankful when the situations we face are so painful? We have substantially answered the question in v.16, but it might help if I explained this point again.

Ultimately we can only accept such things if we believe the Scriptures which reveal to us how God sovereignly uses suffering as a tool in accomplishing His sovereign purposes in this life. This leads us to the conclusion that no thing that happens to us can be termed “bad”, because God never leaves us not forsakes us (Josh 1:5; Hebr. 13:5). He ordains everything for our good. (Rom 8:28). Life’s difficulties are a temporary part of a larger plan for our spiritual well-being. When we can see this we will always be able to have a cause for thanksgiving! Consequently, we see how Christians  can abound in thanksgiving’ (Col. 2:7; cf. Col. 3:15, 17; 4:2; Eph. 5:4, 20)

The Justification: "For This Is God’s Will …" (v. 18b)

The statement, “for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus,” looks back to all three commands, Rejoice! Pray! Give thanks! “

Ultimately  obeying God’s will is to submit to His designed purposes as He has revealed them to us in Scripture.

What if I don’t desire God ‘s will in these matters ?

John Piper has written a very helpful book entitled, “When I don’t desire God” – subtitled “how to fight for joy”. In this book Piper has laid his finger on a substantial truth. Christians are designed for joy. God Himself is the supremely happy and joyful God. Everything that God does is for His own glory and joy! It is the goal of history and of the future.

But now you say perhaps , ‘I really don’t have that desire for joy and prayer and thanksgiving '.

John Piper helpfully reminds us that “When all is said and done , only God can create joy (and prayer and thanksgiving) in God … To be satisfied by the beauty of God does not come naturally to sinful people. By (our sinful) nature we get more pleasure from God’s gifts (rain , sunshine , food …) than from God Himself .”

What we need then is for “the eyes of our heart to be opened to the infinitely desirable person of God. He made Himself known in His Son, Jesus Christ, who is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature.” (Hebr. 1:3)

So when you struggle with  an abiding sense  of  Christian joy and prayer and thanksgiving, then it  may be that  your focus is on the process (or the gifts) more than  on God  the Person (the Giver). The problem is that you are not really a worshipper, and when you’re not, and then you will be frustrated in these areas.

To be honest, it is impossible to enjoy the Christian life when God is not at the center.

To put that differently: you will always struggle in these areas when your religion is man centered, and when your goal is personal comfort and security, and when your desire is for God to bless you materially.

We have seen that in ourselves, we have neither the desire nor ability to accomplish His will. That is why the will of God in these matters can only ever be accomplished “in Christ Jesus“. Apart from Him, we can do nothing (John 15). It is only through our union with Christ that we find the capacity to fulfill the will of God.

Therefore, at the end of this service and at the beginning of this year, I want you to know that there is a Saviour, who will not only save you from your sins, but who will also sanctify you (give you power to live the Christian life) as long as you live. If you have been frustrated in your joy and prayer and thanksgiving in all things then on the basis of Christ’s Word, I invite you to come to Him now. 

1 Thessalonians 5:12-15 “A Life Pleasing to God through sanctified behaviour in the church “

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As Paul concludes his letter to the Thessalonians,  he  tells  them  that instead of  arguing and speculating  about the dates and times of the second coming of Jesus ( which know one knows),  they  would be much better served to live for Christ in  the light of that coming. So, in conclusion of his letter  he gives them  a good number of  important  and practical  instructions as to  how  the church might  be busy,  while waiting for the coming of the Lord.

All of these  instructions relate  to pleasing the Lord  in the context of  a sanctified  life  lived within the church.  Again, all these  issues  are of a selective nature, but we will take these exhortations  as  the very Word of God for ourselves  today.

OUTLINE : 

• Relating to  our elders  ( 5:12-13a)
• Relating to one another (5:13b)
• Relating  to those that are struggling in various areas   ( 5:14)
• Keeping evil  under control and promoting good  ( 5:15)

I  believe that we do well at the beginning of the year to be reminded  concerning some  key areas  in which  we  should see ourselves being sanctified "more and more"  (4:1, 10)  as a church.

1. Sanctified behaviour through  appreciating your elders

The first  request from Paul is that we  should respect those who  are over us  in the Lord. This  is a difficult  one for me to deal with , for I am  not here to commend myself nor our elders.  I am not here to say,   “you need to submit to our authority !”   That would sound more like the language  of a cult  leader than a true servant of God. And yet we cannot get around the facts. We cannot afford to ignore  the  pastoral leadership of the church.  The  Scripture says these things – and so must we. 

Another important text  in this regard is  Hebrews 13:17, 

“Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you .”

What is the  work of the pastor / elder?  How will  a proper  relationship with  such affect my spiritual development  and sanctification ?  What is their role in my life?  And why should I obey them and submit to them?  Paul describes  the pastor’s  role  in a brief few words. His  work is to be  characterized by:  

a. Hard labor. (Gr. kopiao).  The  word means to work to the point of ‘growing weary‘. The pastoral ministry is tiresome  work and one of the reasons  we are to respect our leaders  is that they  often  labour among us to the point of exhaustion. It takes courage to be an evangelical pastor – going with God and going against an opinionated world that  holds   the hearts and minds of so many of our young people and older people captive. 

Pastors  often  labour among  poorly taught, untaught, unwilling, non- cooperative, difficult, self opinionated  people.  In so doing   they must remember that  their work is to be  done with  utmost patience (2 Tim 2:24-26; 4:2). That  continual  self restraint   is hard on the soul of the pastor. Although  he  must be a tender man , he must also be a tough man.  

“His  work is“, as William Still says,  “not to make  a crowd of worldly folk happy… but  so to labour amongst them that through many tribulations, discouragements and misunderstandings,  we form  a faithful people of God, however small a remnant of the total congregation that may be.”[1] 

Pastors are called  to tell us the truth.  It is hard to tell the truth!  The Gospel both cuts and heals.  And so Pastors must admonish us.  It is far easier to say pleasant things!  So, members  of the church - let’s not make their life more difficult. Their  life is already difficult if they do their job properly.

b. They  are over  you in the Lord:  ( lit. “to stand before – hence to lead/rule).  Paul reminds  us secondly  that  these men  called to rule in the congregation by the Lord’s appointment  and  therefore by His  and in His authority.  He appoints them and gives them authority, and  therefore we respect God as we respect  them.  Also  remember  that they  have  great  levels of responsibility  and shall be judged more strictly. (1 Peter  5:1-4; James 3:1)

c. They admonish you:  ( lit. “to put in mind “ -  to instruct  and warn in view of the things that are wrong). Don’t resent them for this  work . They are called  to  do this by  God.

d.  How then should we respond to  our  elders?  Paul says  that they should be highly esteemed in love – mainly because of the Christ who called them to this place. So, we should make a good beginning  by not making  the job of the leader any more difficult than it already is.  Unfortunately it seems that faithful leaders  are often  badmouthed, maligned and ridiculed  (see 2 Corinthians). We should really thank God when we do have faithful leaders and value them  as  much or  even more than we value those who lead us politically,  socially, financially and in so many other ways. Make it  your duty  to encourage them in their work.  Listen to what they are saying. Follow their lead, if they are following Christ.

2. Sanctified behaviour by living at peace with one another (5:13b)

We  don’t  know  whether this is still part of the previous discussion about spiritual leaders or whether it is a new thought.  If it is still part of the discussion on respecting spiritual leaders, it might indicate that there was a power struggle going on in the church. In this case, Paul was pleading for the people to stop fighting each other and start working together  in Christ .

If this is a new section, Paul is giving us a familiar principle: we should be peacemakers rather than troublemakers!

3. Sanctified Behaviour by helping those that are struggling in various areas :

a.  Admonish (warn)  the idle:  “idle”  is probably better translated  as  “unruly/ disorderly /undisciplined ”[2].   When we see someone going astray, we have a responsibility to warn that person that they are in danger. (see  James  5:19-20)

When we see people who are drifting from the faith,  we need to know that those people are actually drifting into the path of the wrath and judgment of God.   We have the responsibility to warn those people!  By all means  choose your words carefully and  let them be said in love, but be bold and honest!  Don’t be indifferent. Care enough  to keep each other from danger.

b. Encourage the fainthearted [3](timid). The word translated  “faintheated”   literally means “ small souled”.  The idea seems to be that we are to encourage those who want to give up.  Most of us  know such  periods in life when  we want to quit.  We become  timid. We become  tired  of living faithfully. We are  worn down by those who resist the truth of the gospel. At  times we feel like we aren’t accomplishing anything.  At these times  we  need someone to come along to encourage us. 

c. Help ( sustain/ support )  the weak. 

A weak person needs support.  The Christian church is not a place where  we reject or belittle the weak. The Christian church  is a place  where  we develop   support systems, not dependency systems  mind you, but  helping  people to be  self sustaining and   self supporting   after they  have experienced setbacks  e.g.  after divorce or  illness  or bereavement and when  they become  advanced in years and when  they believe they serve no useful purpose. In each of these cases the human tendency is to withdraw from these people because we don’t know what to say.  But these are times when people need someone to help them.  

d. Be patient with them all:    In some respects this may be the most difficult of them all.  We  tend to  be  so impatient with people. We want to solve problems NOW!

You see it all the time with people who are grieving.  They don’t need answers. They need someone to understand that they are hurting.  They have lost someone  and no mount of comforting words  can replace them.  They need time to heal. We all need people in our lives  who will be patient with us and who will  pray for us and with us even when we don’t seem to be making progress; who will endure our “bad days” rather than getting offended and walking away.

Patience is the key that unlocks the door to the deepest relationships.  You can’t have any significant relationship unless you are willing to be patient.

e.  See to it that  nobody repays another evil for evil “. We live in a world  that believes in the ‘eye for an eye‘  principle. This was not the way of Jesus.  He had compassion on the weak.  He defended the helpless.  He saw potential in those the world ignored. His first goal was not to “protect Himself”. He protected others. He was zealous for God’s glory.

Conclusions

Don’t you want to be a part of a church where people value their leaders and care about each other?  

Don’t you long for people who will care about you enough to turn your from wrong and to encourage you when you are  straying from the truth?

Let’s take this text personally and pray that  the sanctifying grace of God  will  empower us in each of these areas :

1. Give thanks to God for your leaders.   Encourage them.
2.  Be a Peacemaker and not a disturber of the peace.
3.  Bring someone  back   who is heading  in the wrong way .
4.  Encourage a  fainthearted person this week.
5.  Help a struggling Christian  this week.  
6.  Determine not to be impatient.  Resist the hostility and aggression  of the world and  practice the patience, the love and the kindness of Jesus. 
7. Take the wind out of your enemy’s sails  by  saying something good to them this week 

May  the Lord be with us  as  we believe the sanctifying power  of our crucified Lord to be at work within us, and as we do these things   by faith  alone  for the glory of God alone. 

---

[1] William Still : The Work of the Pastor , p14

[2] Gr. ataktos  - not keeping order ; a military term, denoting not keeping rank; insubordinate “

[3] Gr  oligopsuchos  lit. “ small souled “

1 Thessalonians 4:9-12 "PLEASING GOD THROUGH A SANCTIFIED BROTHERLY LOVE"

We find ourselves at the beginning of 2010. Such a time as this generally tends to be a time of reflection and of making resolutions for the future. I trust that among your reflections and resolutions in anticipation of this New Year, there may be generous room for Christ centered spiritual growth and discipline!

I pray that this year God would replace the self centeredness which so characterizes our society and thinking , even here at Eastside Baptist Church helping us to see the beauty of walking together, under the Word of God, and in brotherly unity, praying and thinking as to how we may glorify God more and more together as a church.

Like Paul, I “ ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that you should walk to please God … and that you do so more and more …” ( 1 Thess. 4:1) .

The Bible envisages that we should please God in everything. Life under God is an all encompassing, comprehensive discipline. In 1 Cor 10:31, Paul says “whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God “.

We have established the general principle from this text: Live to please God!

We noted that the basis for Paul’s appeal is the command of Christ: He urges them in the Lord Jesus! (4:1) – and again in 4:2 “For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus" . And in 4:3: “This is the will of God …”

The goal of this exhortation is our sanctification. Paul says: “This is the will of God, your sanctification.” (4:3). Sanctification is the process by which the believer is brought to greater spiritual maturity and Christ-likeness in the course of their lives. This process begins at conversion. The old habits are increasingly done away with and replaced with new ways which please God, and so it is possible to please God ‘more and more’.

Above all, Sanctification is a practical thing. It seems that some Christians just want to hear new truth. Certainly, God wants us to grow in the knowledge of His Word, but we need to translate what we believe into practice. Otherwise we are going to be like those in 2 Tim 3:6, 7 who are “burdened with sins and led away by various passions, always learning and never able to arrive at knowledge of the truth.”

Two areas in which we need to grow in order that we may please God more and more:

Although there are many aspects in which we need to be sanctified, Paul, for reasons unstated in the text, specifically addresses…

(i) sexuality (4:3-8) and

(ii) brotherly love (4:9-12),

...as the special focus of God’s transforming work in the lives of the Thessalonian Christians and therefore in our lives. We receive these two exhortations as God’s specific instruction for this time. These are two areas in which the Christian church should be set apart from contemporary society. Since we have already considered ‘ sanctified sexuality’ last week we are now ready to consider …

(ii) Pleasing God through a sanctified brotherly love

The transition from sexual purity to brotherly love is a natural one. Sexual sins almost always involve someone else. They usually involve the exploitation and abuse of another person for selfish reasons. So then, in this area we are also called to act with brotherly love and purity to one another. (See 1 Tim 5:1, 2)

The word translated here as “brotherly love” is the Greek word ‘philadelphia’. This reminds us that we are united in the household of God (the church), where we call each other brother and sister. We are reminded that in this household there ought to be a warmth and concern for each other because of our family relationship in Christ.

We observe that the Thessalonian Christians were excelling in this area. Paul says “…you have no need …, for you have been taught by God to love one another.”

Is Paul saying we don’t need biblical instruction on loving one another? Obviously not, because the NT has so much to say on this subject and the church is often so poor at loving. But, let’s face it – there are Christians and there are churches that possess more grace in this area. The Thessalonians were displaying one of the most essential badges of Christian discipleship: Love for the brothers . “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another”. (Jn 13:35)

They had been showing love toward all the brothers in (see 2 Cor 8)

But, even such a ‘perfect’ display of love needs continued encouragement to do still more. And there are many ways to do this.

Consider now how Paul counsels us to consider loving our brothers more in vv. 11,12.

V. 11 and 12 linked to the preceding section by the conjunction “and”. So, these two verses are actually an application to what Paul has been saying concerning the need to “do this more and more “.

Three areas in which your love for your brothers and sisters may be more sanctified in the church: (v.11) 

1. Aspire to live quietly

2. Mind your own affairs

3. Work with your hands.

It is important for us to note that our daily habits of living  and the way we conduct our own business, can manifest a real sense of Christian love. Love touches our lives in many ways which we often fail to recognize. Undisciplined living on the part of some in the church very often causes pain to others in the church. It disturbs the peace of the body of Christ. So, in terms of allowing the sanctifying power of God to work in improving our love life, let us then …

1. Aspire to live quietly

The word used here means being quiet in the sense of restfulness. Christians should not be ‘noisy’ or ‘frantic’ people . There should be a restfulness, a peace, and a serenity that governs the life of a Christian, because Christ is at the centre. Sometimes one gets dizzy when one sees the speed at which some Christians live. A person who is constantly on the move is not only distracted from his own walk with God, but he / she can be a distraction to his/her brother/ sister. A poised, serene Christian at peace with himself and God will be a source of peace to his brothers. Now such quietness constitutes a practical demonstration of love for others.

It is highly likely that there were such restless people within the Thessalonian church. The whole matter of the imminent return of Christ for instance, was introducing a speculative and unsettling element into the church ( 2 Thess. 2:1-3) .

This fact also might have been causing idleness. Ignoring the fact that no one knows the precise day nor hour of the Lord’s return (Matt. 24:36), some of the believers at Thessalonica had evidently stopped working and were instead going about from house to house as busybodies and doing nothing but anticipating the coming of Christ . Martin Luther  had it right  when he said : " Even  if I knew that the world would perish tomorrow, today I will plant an apple tree".

2. Mind your own affairs

One of the solutions for restlessness is to mind your own business, and to start looking critically at yourself . Jesus says, “Stop finding splinters in the life of your brothers, when you have planks in your own eyes”.  (Matt  7:1-5). Make it your priority to get your own life in order before you get busy in the life of others. There is a sense in which our first priority is to take care of our own lives, not in a self-centered way, but in a truly biblical way. We must however balance this with our responsibility to be involved with, and caring for others. Our tendency is to go from one extreme to another - either being too nosy or to the other extreme—isolationism. The point is that we must learn to love our brothers by not becoming ‘know all’ , overbearing pain in the necks who do not practise what they preach.

3. Work with your own hands

Paul  has a  major emphasis  on this in 2 Thessalonians  3:6-12!  Scripture has little sympathy for those who will not work  to sustain themselves. While we all have a responsibility to help those in real need, we also have a responsibility not to help them when they refuse to work or look for a job. Part of the help that such people need is to admonish them , counsel them and help them to find work. They must understand that God wants them to be self-supporting and productive in society rather than dependent on society.

There is a twofold concern expressed in v. 12 in relation to this loving concern for such people.

a. their testimony to outsiders: The unbelieving world is watching and we should always be concerned that our lives do not bring shame upon the Name of Christ. The world outside continually criticizes the church for her “noisy Christians ”, and her “busybodies”, and for accommodating those that are lazy without ever disciplining them.

b. The principle of being dependent on no one: God intends each one to work to meet their own needs and to be a burden to no one. This can be amply illustrated from Scripture. It obviously excludes those who are genuinely unable to work. We need to see work as a blessing. It must be promoted by the Christian community. Work is not a curse. It is a way to use the gifts and talents God gives us in productive ways.

As the Creator and Sustainer of the universe, God is a worker.

CONCLUSION:

1. Brotherly love is a mark of a biblical church( Jn 13:35)

2. We need to continuously improve in this area.

3. And especially we must learn to love our church by being quiet people who are not in the habit of upsetting everyone ; we must avoid being busybodies ; we must make our own living , and not depend on the church to continually help us when we are continuously in and out of jobs; when we are unteachable; when we have lavish lifestyles and poor budgeting habits.

May  our Lord   continuously help us  to  see these things  in the Scriptures and apply  them so that  we will please Him more and more through our sanctified relationships. 

1 Thessalonians 4:1-12 "Pleasing God through Sanctified Sexuality"

We  find ourselves  at the end of  2009  and on the verge of 2010. It is a time  when we  tend to evaluate our lives, and make  resolutions for the future. That is  a very good thing , for the unexamined life is not worth living .

The first thing that a Christian  man and woman would tend to ask is this : How can  my life speak more of the  glory of God ? How can I please the Lord in all that I do ?  No question is of greater importance   than this one  for the Christian man and woman . And it is an all encompassing , comprehensive discipline  .   In  1 Cor  10:31, Paul says “ whether you eat or drink , or whatever you do  , do all to the glory of God “.  

THE GENERAL PRINCIPLE :  LIVE TO PLEASE GOD !

At the end  of 2009 and on the verge of 2010,   I want to  stir up  godly desires  in you with the help of the Holy Spirit,   through  the inspired Scriptures.

That was certainly Paul’s desire as the apostle and pastor who first brought the gospel  to the Thessalonians.  Paul knew that the end  to which  these Thessalonians were saved  was not that he might say,  “Look , these are my converts !”  No! They were saved  that they might glorify God. 

So, we are not surprised  at  Paul’s introductory statement : (4:1)  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.

Paul asks and urges  the Thessalonians   to please God  in  their walking ! This is a matter of urgency.

Why? We must walk what we talk !   We must  confess  with our lives  what we  profess with our lips. A life that pleases God is  a life that is truly grounded in God. And if  there  is an error  in the foundation of our  profession of faith, if our  life’s foundation is not laid  in grace in the heart , then we cannot truly live a life that pleases God. The house built on sand may stand for a while, but when the storm and the floods come, it will  quickly fall .

Paul is certain of the solid  foundation of the Thessalonian Christians,  for he sees the evidence (4:1)  … “ just as you are doing “ .

But there is always room  for growth,  “ We urge you … that you do so more and more…”

The basis of Paul’s appeal  is the command of Christ.

He  is not some power hungry  control freak. No! He urges them in the Lord Jesus! (4:1) – and again in 4:2 “ For you know  what instructions we gave you  through the Lord Jesus “ . And in 4:3:  “ This is the will of God …” .

As we  too sit under  the authority of  the word of the Father and  of the Son , let us take care to  listen  very carefully  to  this exhortation  as it comes  to our attention  at this  time  by the providence  of God. “This is the will of God , your sanctification.”  God  wants you to grow in holiness.

‘Sanctification’   is  the process by which the believer is brought to greater spiritual maturity and Christ-likeness  in the course of their lives . This process begins at  conversion.  The old ways and the old habits are increasingly done away  with and replaced with new ways which please  and glorify God. 

Two areas  in which we  need to grow in  order that we may please God:

Although  there are many aspects in which we need to be sanctified, Paul, for reasons unstated in the text, specifically highlights  the subjects of 

(i) sexuality  (4:3-8)  and

(ii) brotherly love (4:9-12),

...as the special  focus of God’s transforming work in the lives of  the Thessalonian Christians  and in our lives.

Note , that  in both these areas  Paul wants  them to do this more and more (4:1,10).

Today   we will focus  on the matter of  "sanctified sexuality." 

The Sanctification  of our Sexuality :

3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification:  that you abstain from sexual immorality; The word translated as "sexual immorality" (Gr. porneia)  is a wide term referring  to any illicit or forbidden sexual activity, including pre-marital , extra-marital sex and prostitution—sins which were probably rampant in the Thessalonian culture, as they are indeed in our own. This is  will of God  for every believer. Every believer  must avoid sexual sin. 

How  must we do that ?  4:4   gives the answer  : 4 that each one of you know how to control his own body  in holiness and honor, 5 not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God;

Self control ( a fruit of the Spirit)  is required  in controlling  one’s body.  Verse  4:5  shows us  that “the passion of lust”   (as opposed to sexuality that exists within the bonds of marriage)  is characteristic of “ Gentiles (unbelievers) who do not know God."   Remember that if Christ lives in you and the Holy Spirit  lives in you, you have power to overcome sin (2 Peter 1:3,4 ; 1 John  5: 1-5) – no matter how  much  you may have struggled  with sexual sin in the past . You are no longer a slave of sin. You are now a slave  of Christ and  therefore you are under the power of Christ.  

4:6 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.

According to this verse, sexual immorality must be avoided not only because it violates God’s will, but also  because it has a devastating  effect  on other people – particularly  the relationships which  we share  as Christian brothers and sisters . These may be seriously damaged or even destroyed by sexual immorality. We have seen  this often in our own community.

The Scripture says  that  "the Lord is the avenger in all these things."  Please  note that sexual sins are not inconsequential. God  judges  these.

4:7  For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. 8  Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.

God’s will for each believer is that they should become more and more conformed to Christ’s moral character. Paul’s point here comes with a solemn warning .

4:8  warns us that the rejection of this exhortation is literally the rejection of "the God who gives His Holy Spirit to you."

Since the call to sexual purity finds its origin in the will of God, its rejection is tantamount  to disregarding and dishonoring of God Himself. That is very serious , and God says that He will not leave a sexual offender unpunished . ( see also Hebrews  13:4)   Paul expresses a similar point in 1 Corinthians 6:15-20 where he argues that the believer’s body is the "temple of the Holy Spirit."  You dare not defile God’s property. If you do , you insult God – and God is not mocked .

APPLICATION :

The Holy Spirit  warns  us today  that  we  must not  underestimate  the   effects  of  sexual sin . Tragically  our Namibian culture  does not view  sexual immorality  as  evil. We are currently bearing  huge  consequences  and scars  in the heart  of this nation. There is an anger  rising in this nation , and  God alone knows where it will end .

We have seen  firstly that  such sexual sin  is  a plain act of rebellion  against God  who warns us in His word,  and He plainly tells us that  He  is an avenger  in all these things.

But we have also seen , secondly that sexual sins (particularly  those within the confines  of the  church) hurt  our fellow believer . I must remind you then  that in your desire  to please God,  you must understand the serious nature of this particular sin.  Even though  every sin  has  serious consequences  when unrepented of, yet  sins like  adultery  or  fornication (and murder)   have  severe consequences .

Why?   They damage the name of God. They damage the character  and lives of the people involved and they damage  relationships in the church.

This is because adultery and fornication  are physical sins. Greed , lust, envy, pride, and hatred  are essentially sins of the heart  - and although these sins are very serious  if not repented of  yet  sexual sins  are more severe  than the heart sins that precede them. Sexual sin is an explicit sin.  "Heart sins" , damage  you and your relationship with God.  Sexual sin  damages you, your relationship with God and your relationship with others .

Why this reminder  at the end of the year  ?

•  Everyone needs a regular reminder  of these things. 
•  The Bible  believes in preventative counseling.  

SUMMARY : 

 6 things  that will help you to  please God and resist sexual sin

1. Purposely Walk to Please God (v.1)
2. Remember the instructions given  ( v.2)
3. Remember the will of God  (v.3)
4. Control your body (v.4)
5. The incentive of Christian love which seeks the good of others( v.6)
6. Remember the wrath of God (vv. 6-8)

Knowing God is ultimately the path to sexual purity. We have bodies so that God might be gloried in them. That is why God gave you a body.  And if you are in bondage to pornography and fantasies or fornication or adultery the strategy is  to repent (turn away from your sin)  and  turn to God and get to know your God!  Lustful passion is the mark of the Gentiles who do not know God.

May God increase your joy as  you make your sexuality  a part of your worship of God.