Our Call to Holiness 1 st Thessalonians 4:1-12

Our Call to Holiness 1 st Thessalonians 4:1-12 Tease: When is enough enough? When getting a glass of water, enough is when the glass is full but not overflowing. When we are talking about holiness and the life of the follower of Jesus the Apostle Paul tells us there always more to do. Join us this Sunday as Pastor Rich explores 1 st Thessalonians 4:1-12 where the Apostle Paul tells the church to do even more. Sunday School at 9 am and Worship at 10 am. We would love to see you in person but if you cannot make it in person join us online at FriendshipGraceBrethren.com for our live stream. Our Call to Holiness 1 st Thessalonians 4:1-12 Holiness, you have heard me talk about holiness quite a bit. I have reminded you of that one of the Old Testament s primary themes is Holiness, the separation of holy and unholy, clean and unclean. God reminded the Israelites frequently about keeping clean, about separating the clean from the unclean. God built into His teaching everyday actions to illustrate that separation. Well, that is not just an Old Testament doctrine for Israel. It is often repeated in the New Testament for the Church. As followers of Jesus, we are to look different, we are to wear our white hats and be different from the people around us who are not followers of Jesus. 1 Page Dr. Rich Schnieders,

In our text this morning we have one of those commands to be holy, to be different, to put on our white hats and be different from the people around us. So let s dig into the text this morning and see what God has for us through the Apostle Paul. 1 Thessalonians 4:1 (ESV) 1Finally, 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. Typically when we see finally we recognize that the author is transitioning to the conclusion. In our text, this morning Paul is not transitioning to the conclusion but to the final section; a section that is comprised of all of chapter 4 and chapter 5. Paul makes a request of the people of the church in Thessalonica. He asks them to do more than they were already doing. Now, remember what we read early in the Letter, that Paul was proud of them and they were the example to others around them. But now Paul reminds them of what he taught when he was with them, for three weeks, and wants them to continue in that way and to even do it more. As I looked at this passage I though Paul was writing to Friendship Grace Brethren Church. We are approaching 20 years of doing good. We have but bibles in the hands of Africans in their language, we have paid to purchase property for a church in Haiti, we have paid to help a church in Trinidad 2 Page Dr. Rich Schnieders,

finish their building, we have done all sorts of things over the years. We have impacted many lives for the cause of Christ. We have seen men and women and boys and girls come to know the Lord. There are many more people in heaven today because of the ministry of this church over the last 20 years. But Can we just rest on what was done? Can we sit back and say look at all we have done without planning and working towards doing more in the future? The answer to the question is no, we cannot. The church in Thessalonica was in the same situation. They had accomplished much for the cause of Christ, and the Apostle Paul praised them for that and then told them to do what they had done and even more. He says that he taught them what to do and he wants them to continue doing that and more. When I read that verse, I can almost hear the Apostle Paul reading it to us here at Friendship Grace Brethren Church. We are at a unique place in our life and development as a church. We had some set backs in recent months. We were looking toward the future growth and development of this church, and we hired a young guy to work within the church to develop contacts with younger families to grow the church into a multigenerational church. Despite the result of that effort, I believe that it was and is the right thing for us to do. Unfortunately not everyone involved thought it was the proper methodology. I am sorry that some have been hurt during this time, but it remains 3 Page Dr. Rich Schnieders,

that we cannot rest on our laurels, we must continue to move ahead in our service of God. We must continue to plan for the future and look for ways to make the church more sustainable into the future. I don t know what God has in store for us. But I do know that just as Paul pushed for the Thessalonians to continue doing what they had been doing and even more we must continue in serving God and doing even more, whatever that may look like. 1 Thessalonians 4:2 (ESV) 2For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. Paul pushed the Thessalonians to do what they had been doing and to do even more based upon the teaching that he had given them. Remember he was with them for only three weeks before he was run out of town. That tells me that from the very beginning he was teaching them in how they were to be different from the people around them. He was teaching the hard truth of being a follower of Jesus. He was teaching them the truth that we now find in the Word of God. Paul was not a pragmatist. He was not one to develop seeker sensitive ministries. Right from the beginning, he was teaching the reality of the life of a follower of Jesus. I love the picture of the Apostle Paul teaching the heavy and difficult truth of scripture from the very beginning and then looking at the result of that teaching. They were examples of the other churches, and 4 Page Dr. Rich Schnieders,

the word was going out. That is what I desire for this church as well. We do a pretty good job here teaching the word. We have done a pretty good job of responding to the word of God and doing it. We love people; we care for people; we serve people; we are active in the lives of others. Now we need to do that even more. That was the instruction to the Thessalonians, and I believe to us as well. 1 Thessalonians 4:3 5 (ESV) 3For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; 4that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, 5not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; It seems like Paul takes an abrupt turn here, that he deviates from the message he was presenting in the previous verses. When you consider the historical context, in makes more sense and is in keeping with the previous verses. Paul just got through telling them they were to take the teaching he had already given them and continue to do that and even more. What had Paul taught them? Well, of course, he taught them about becoming a follower of Jesus. We also know that he taught them about the persecution that would come and the reality that being a follower of Jesus makes your road harder not easier. We can 5 Page Dr. Rich Schnieders,

assume that he taught them about decerning the will of God and doing it. For the early church in the sex grazed Grecco-Roman world that had as central parts of their worship system temple prostitutes abstaining for sexual immorality set them apart from the rest of society. Sexual perversion has been the part of most cults and false religions since the Tower of Babel. There are several fascinating studies tracing the origin of false religions and cults back to the Tower of Babel with the vast majority utilizing sexual perversion to attract and hold people. Paul tells the Thessalonians the will of God is that they abstain from sexual immorality. He tells them that they each should know how to control his or her own body in holiness. Don t get caught up in the religious stuff that draws you away from God. Don t become involved in popular stuff because it makes you feel good. Keep yourselves holy, set apart, dedicated to God. That is the message he was giving them. So what do we do with that instruction today? The command is still proper for us, especially as we move closer and closer to a permissive culture such as Paul was preaching to. Followers of Jesus should abstain from sexual immorality, in all its forms. The word immorality here is the root from where we get the English word pornography. It includes pornography, sex outside of marriage, homosexual sex, and all the related form of sexual 6 Page Dr. Rich Schnieders,

immorality you can think of and probably some you cannot think of. However, I think this command also carries with it a principle that applies just as much today for us. The principle here is that we abstain from anything that gets in between us and following Jesus properly. There are all sorts of things that do that. For some, this may be their work. Others it may be their hobbies or pleasures. For some, it may even be their families. Remember Jesus taught about that when He told the young man that wanted to follow Him to not worry about saying goodbye to his family. It was more important to be focused on serving God than on taking care of family, especially those in the family that wants nothing to do with God. This next one may shock you. Sometimes we let God s Word stand between us and our relationship with God. We begin to worship the Word and not God. I have to be very careful of that myself. Paul is telling the Thessalonians, and I believe us as well that we are to be focused on the will of God and not all these other things that distract us from God. That is how we do what we have been taught and even more, as Paul said in verse 1. Now, look at verse 5. Not like the gentiles do. The word gentiles here is the word ἔθνος (ethnos) from where we get ethnic from. This is not referring to nonjews but the world people groups. Contextually Paul is referring to the people of the world that are not followers of Jesus. The people of the church in Thessalonica 7 Page Dr. Rich Schnieders,

was to respond to the will of God differently than the world does. In the analogy that Paul was using the people of the world were involved in the passionate lust of sexual immorality in conflict with the will of God. 1 Thessalonians 4:6 8 (ESV) 6that 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. 7For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. 8Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you. Paul here moves on to give some reasons the church is to abstain from sexual immorality. 1. Others are hurt by our immorality I think it is clear here in verse 6 that when sexual immorality occurs others get hurt. In adultery the family is hurt, in prostitution several parties get hurt. There is no such thing as a victimless crime. God makes it clear that when we violate His character people get hurt. 2. God Punishes the disobedient 8 Page Dr. Rich Schnieders,

It may not be right away but sin is always dealt with and punished by God. For a follower of Jesus to slinking around involved in sexual immorality of whatever nature, there needs to be the fear of punishment coming from God. I think this was probably one of the basic Biblical truths that Paul had taught them when he was with them. 3. It is the life God has called us to live Another reason to reject sexual immorality is that it violates God s will for the Christian. A holy life demonstrates God s supernatural work at overcoming what is natural because it glorifies God. 1 The natural tendencies of sinful man is to follow the world into sexual immorality, but through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can overcome the tendencies of sinful man. To abstain from sexual immorality is a testament to what God can do in overcoming sin. 4. To reject God s direction is to reject God and His gift of the Holy Spirit When the will of God is clearly given to us yet, we still reject it means we are rejecting more than God s will, we 1 Walvoord, John F., and Roy B. Zuck, Dallas Theological Seminary. The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985. 9 Page Dr. Rich Schnieders,

are also rejecting God. His will cannot be separated from God Himself. God gives us the Holy Spirit so that we can do the things we do not have the power to do by ourselves. So when we do not take advantage of that power within, we reject God and His direction. It is a personal affront to God. 1 Thessalonians 4:9 (ESV) 9Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another, I love this. Paul tells the Thessalonians that no one needs to be reminded of brotherly love, they had that figured out and were busy in doing it. God had taught them about the proper care for each other, even other cities and communities. The Thessalonians had been great examples to the people in Macedonia in their love for others and their care for other. But just as we saw earlier Paul wanted them to do more. Look what he says in verse 10. 1 Thessalonians 4:10 (ESV) 10for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more, Continue in doing what you have done and do even more. We have that kind of reputation in the fellowship. We have given, sometimes even to our detriment. People have seen that, and we 10 Page Dr. Rich Schnieders,

have been an example to other churches. Tony Webb says he wants to plant churches with our DNA. However, as we saw earlier we cannot rest on what had been done; we have to do more. Or as Paul says, more and more. Not only are we to do more and more look at verse 11. 1 Thessalonians 4:11 (ESV) 11and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, When I first began to study this verse, I admit I could not make sense of it in keeping with the context. But my friend Dr. Knute Larson in his commentary on 1 st and 2 nd Thessalonians revealed what Paul was saying. Remember the context of this passage. It is a good church being pushed to do more and more. Yet, in doing more and more we should not get carried away. Let me see if I can explain. It is very easy for churches embarking on a church growth program or mission to get carried away and go deep into the world of spiritual excitement and go over the top in the experience of the church. That is what makes seeker sensitive churches so attractive to the no believer. The lights and music, the experience of it. You go to church to get jazzed up, to go to the top of a spiritual mountain. 11 Page Dr. Rich Schnieders,

But Paul here seems to be suggesting is that we do not go to the top of that spiritual mountain and we do not seek that spiritual high but that we maintain a quiet steady life, continuing in the service of God. What happens when you go to the spiritual mountain? You come down off the mountain and go into the spiritual valley. So your spiritual course is up and down, up and down. Rather, Paul suggests that we go in a steady, quiet path that avoids the highs and avoids the lows. The next phrase is also difficult to understand in context. That we mind our own affairs. There apparently was a problem in the early church like in many churches today concerning legalism or at least the idea that because we do it right, we have the right to point out that others are not doing it right. I get that and have to fight that myself. It is easy for me to criticize churches who do not teach the word of God properly. Paul reminds them and me that we are not to do that. I am to worry about Friendship Grace Brethren Church not everyone else. They will have to stand before God and give an account, just like I will have to. Our priority must be our church and our ministry. The next thing Paul tells them is that they are to work with their hands. This is not an injunction that everyone must be a blue caller trades worker. I think this is an injunction reminding the follower of Jesus to make sure that their relationship with God is borne out in how they live their daily life, and that we never get to the place where we no longer work to serve God. We never retire from being God s slaves. 12 Page Dr. Rich Schnieders,

So why did Paul give these commands to the church in Thessalonica and to us? Verse 12 has the answer. 1 Thessalonians 4:12 (ESV) 12so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one. We are to do more and more, to love others more and more, to continue serving God all our life, to abstain from sexual immorality to not be involved in the fad of the day we can be seen walking properly before non-believers and not be dependant on anyone else. Paul wanted the church in Thessalonica to know and for us to know that the world watches us and sees how we live. We need to live like we are God s and not the world s. Paul also wanted the church in Thessalonica to make sure they were not a financial burden on anyone else. We are to work for and care for ourselves and our families and not rely on anyone else to care for us. I think this statement is a response to the prosperity doctrine that was beginning even in the early church. Some people were joining the church because they saw the generosity of the church and were taking advantage of it. That is not what a follower of Jesus does. Conclusion Friendship grace Brethren Church has done a lot of good work over the last almost 20 years. Despite the low attendance we 13 Page Dr. Rich Schnieders,

have made a huge difference for the cause of Christ. God has worked through us to do some fantastic things. We will not know the full impact of what God has done or is doing through us until heaven, if then. 107 views of last weeks services on Facebook alone. Our videos on YouTube were viewed 119 plus hours last month alone. I don t know who is watching and what impact it is having, but God has blessed that ministry. We may not have many youth but we have two adults involved in youth ministry and it is having an impact on those kids. So much so that other churches saw those kids and saw a difference in them. We have struggled through some difficult times the last few months but I believe it made us stronger and more committed to serving God and move ahead. We cannot rest on what was but must focus on what will be. We cannot say we have done good with out looking toward the future to do more good. That is the message of this passage. Reach out to your friends and neighbors. To your co-workers. To people, you meet in the line in the store etc. Invite them to come to church, to a place where we are focused on learning and living God s Word. Let s see how much more good God can do through us. Let s show the nay sayers that God is not done with us. I was recently told that we have no ministry here except teaching the word of God. My reply to that is that the proper teaching of the word of God results in living the word of God 14 Page Dr. Rich Schnieders,

which is an all encompassing ministry. The Affricans reading their Bible in Sango this morning think we have a ministry here. The church La-Boule thinks we have a ministry here because they have a place to meet. Grace Church Cunupia thinks we have a ministry here because they now have completed their building project. We have several people die in recent years who were ministered to, who came to know the Lord here and are now in the presence of the Lord because of the ministry of this church. There are people in this congregation who get food from the pantry as part of this ministry, there are people who are cared for by others in this church as part of this ministry. No, Friendship Grace Brethren Church has been involved in the most important ministry for almost 20 years and we may never know the impact of it. We in many ways are like the church in Thessalonica. But we cannot rest on what has been done. Ther is more and more to do. So sit down, put on your seat belt and get ready for the ride of your life. In the immortal words of Captain Jean Luc Picard engage! Let s Pray! 15 Page Dr. Rich Schnieders,

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