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1 Thes 4:1-12

Walk in order to please the Lord

Introduction

A summary of 1 Thessalonians so far…

1. An authentic church, marked by faith that works, love that labours and hope that endures. [Ch1]

2. This is the product of an authentic ministry. Because Paul’s ministry among them was an authentic one that lovingly brought the gospel to Thessalonica.

3. Concerned that they might falter under the pressure, particularly of persecution, Paul has sent Timothy to encourage and strengthen them. Delighted by Timothy’s news that they stand firm in the Lord, Paul prays for them night and day.

Even though there is much to thank God for about the Thessalonians church, there are some issues that need to be addressed.

Paul wants to talk to them about living in a way that pleases the Lord. In particular; PURITY, LOVE & AMBITION.

Walk in order to please the Lord 1-2

1. Paul’s ministry in Thessalonica had included instruction about Christian behaviour – what you might call Christian ethics. V1

a. Paul had not been there very long. We know that his ministry began in the Jewish Synagogue. His message was that Jesus Christ had died and risen again from the dead. – That had to happen.

i. Why “had to?”

ii. Important to say that the gospel is not “Jesus wants’ you to be good.”

iii. Need a Saviour. He lived the good life we could not live, died the death we deserved to die, and rose again from the dead in order to empower the kind of life he calls us to live.

iv. That was the foundation, but even though he had been there only a short time, there had been more. He had taught them how to live so as to please the Lord.

b. “We instructed you – how to live, or walk in order to please God.”

c. What it means to help new Christians. When someone becomes a Christian – will affect how they live – and so instruction in how to please the Lord is important.

2. Authentic Christians / authentic church continue in growing to please the Lord.

a. Paul says – you are doing it “as in fact you are doing” [1 end]

b. Do it more and more. [2]

c. Are you still growing in pleasing the Lord? Easy to get to a plateau – from which you can look down on some other folk – I must be OK!

d. Are you still growing? Pleasing the Lord more and more. [Loving, Generous, Compassionate, Humble, Pure, Faithful] If you stopped, when and why did you stop – isn’t it time you started again?

3. What Paul had told them, was not merely his opinion, but was spoken by the authority of the Lord Jesus. v2

a. It’s very easy for people to say “That was then – this is now” “How relevant is 2000 year old ethical teaching in today’s world”

b. We might be surprised to discover that Thessalonica 2000 years ago is far more like Grimsby today than we might imagine.

c. It was not my ideas – What I told you came with Jesus’ authority. V2

Three specific applications. Three ways in which there is room for pleasing the Lord more and more in Thessalonica.

Purity, Love and Ambition

Purity 3-8

1. Paul calls the Thessalonian Christians to please the Lord, by pursuing sexual purity in a sexually permissive age.

a. We live in a sexually permissive age. What Society regards as acceptable has changed beyond all recognition, in my lifetime. [**Primary School teacher who had an affair]

b. We should not think that Thessalonica was a prudish society with Victorian social values. Providing you didn’t sleep with another man’s wife you could do what you wanted.

c. The problem in Thessalonica – the converts brought the sexual values of the world into the church.

d. That’s still the pressure today.

e. Address individuals… Jesus calls you to sexual purity.

2. Paul clearly explains the standard.

a. V3.

b. Sanctified – set apart for God

c. “avoid sexual immorality” – a catch all term – any sexual activity outside of marriage.

d. You need to learn self control – be the master of your sexual desires – in a way that is holy (Pleasing to God) and honourable (Shows integrity to the world) Rather than being mastered by your sexual desires (passionate lust) like the heathen who do not know God.

i. Might ask why is “honourable” important in a sexually permissive society? The world holds the church to the standards that they think the church ought to have – Vicar runs off with the organist and its all over the papers and brings disgrace on the name of Christ.

e. Don’t wrong your brother (male or female) in this. Within the church we should be loving one another – and helping one another – not seducing one another! If you bring the sexual attitudes of the world into the church – and engage in sexual immorality in the church – doubly wrong – you rebel against Jesus, but you also cause your brother (male or female) to rebel against Jesus too.

3. Paul’s Pastoral Method

a. Very realistic. Someone comes to Christ – “avoid sexual immorality” – Not easy.

b. Paul: It is tough talk but… Warns them of the consequences. Reminds them of the gospel. Holds out hope.

c. Warns them of the consequences. [6]

i. “It’s a private matter” It’s not private to God – it is rebellion against God, and he will punish all such sins.

d. Reminds them of the gospel. [7]

i. When God put his hand on your lives. When you received the gospel with power, with the Holy Spirit amd deep conviction – God was at work , and he called you to faith in himself. He didn’t do that with the intention of you being “impure” but so that you would live a holy life.

e. Holds out hope [8]

i. Not hopeful? Why bring in the Holy Spirit here?

ii. God has come to live inside you by his Holy Spirit in order that you might be changed – he has come to carry on his work in you – so that you might become holy.

iii. Real hope for real change. God calls you to sexual purity – if you are a Christian – he lives in you by his Holy Spirit – to change you from the inside.

iv. When you ignore the call to sexual purity – you are trampling with hobnailed boots across the work of the spirit of God in your life – rejecting God. if you are a Christian at all.

4. I’ve fallen – what should I do?

a. Some in Thessalonica had too – it’s not the end – but it must change. Jesus calls you to sexual purity.

b. You must heed the warning – The world the flesh and the devil might tell you that it doesn’t matter – Jesus says it does.

c. You must go back to the gospel. That he saved you – why he saved you – Repentance – forgiveness and turning away.

d. You must learn – empowered by the Holy Spirit – to control your own body, because you are not a heathen – and so do not need to be controlled by your body.

Love [9-10]

1. Encouragement to love

a. “You have been taught by God” Do you think that was a seminar? God’s love exhibited in the gospel, God’s Holy Spirit at work in their hearts.

b. Spot what God is doing – point it out and rejoice in it – and call or “more and more” [Tempted to get disgruntled with the church]

2. Quality of love

a. They exhibit the kind of love that cannot be fabricated.

1. False teachings I have taught. Love is an act of the will – its attractive – I can do it – I just need to will harder!

2. 1 Peter 1:22 “Love one another deeply from the heart”

3. We must depend on God – for hearts that are transformed – so that we love one another “more and more”

3. So love each other more and more.

a. A way of thinking as a church: What would the principle of brotherly love say about this?

Ambition [11-12]

1. Difficult – we don’t know the context.

b. It appears that there is a problem of idleness in the church in Thessalonica.

1. Not clear whether there is a religious reason – that people are giving up their jobs and sitting around waiting for Jesus to come again (and being a pain in the neck in the process – with not enough to do they meddle in the affairs of others and of the church)

2. Or whether it has something to do with the way Roman Society was ordered – a number of people in the church who lived by buttering up rich patrons – which cased all sorts of problems with divided loyalties.

2. What they must do.

c. Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life. [Paradoxical – if you are ambitious, its rarely for a quiet life] Seek restlessly for calm – What would be the opposite – as opposed to clamouring for attention. Fame or worldly success.

d. Mind your own business – Put your own house in order – before you seek to put everyone else’s house in order.

e. Work with your hands – This might be the “bomb” – Greco Roman Society – that might not have been seen as very go ahead. [** Small boys – what do you want to do when you grow up?] If you were ambitious – it was not to work with your hands.

3. The Lordship of Christ extends to the way that you live. The way that you live will be shaped your priorities. There is a way of living that is consistent with “walking to please the Lord more and more” and ways of living that make that difficult.

a. As you make life choices remember – one set of choices affects another – somewhere along the way promotion happened – or the business took off – and now what used to be a choice that could be made – isn’t anymore. No longer any time to pray with God’s people. No time to build his church.

b. As you make life choices keep an eternal perspective. John Ortburg – money, possessions and eternity – playing monopoly – gets to the heart of the Christian perspective – [houses, cars money, position, power, status] “It all goes back in the box”

c. When you make life choices – always make living to please God primary. That is what matters most in the context of eternity.

d. As you make life choices trust God to put you where he wants you. God does promote his people to very high positions (Joseph, Daniel) Neither got there through ruthless ambition, and in both cases, what stands out is that first of all they were people who lived to please God.

Conclusion.

Jesus – tempted in every way – as we are – without sin.

Loved and loves the church.

Graciously submitted to the Father’s will