• APATHY – INDIFFERENCE – UNCONCERNED
• Talk about Enemies to every Christian AND destroyers of the church… these will certainly do it!
APATHY: AN absence of emotion or enthusiasm!
INDIFFERENCE: Not seeming to care about anything.
UNCONCERNED: It’s not my problem, my issue. So what!
NOTE: there is that tendency in all of us to put it all into cruise control and coast through life.
• I’ve arrived! This is my destination.
• But if you’re on earth, you haven’t reached it yet.
• Our destination guys, is heaven.
• Our goal is to take as many people with us as possible.
SO WHAT HAPPENS when we float on into cruise control?
• Let’s flip over to Jeremiah 48:11ff
• God won’t let us stay there… poured from vessel to vessel.
• Trials, Tribulations, & Tests come our way.
• Open Doors, Opportunities,
• All so that we might stay fresh and grow in the Lord.
2 Peter 3.17-18 You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; 18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.
NOTE: We definitely live in some exciting times. Filled w/ exciting opportunities. Moving in some exciting directions.
• AND with them comes such an urgency in our day!
• An urgency to get the gospel of Jesus Christ out and see men and women repent from their sins!
REALLY, IT’S NOT UNLIKE the days for the church in Thessalonica.
• As God’s Word so penetrated their lives in just a few weeks.
• They were eager to serve Him and spread the Word!
• So much so, that as we already learned
1 Thess 1.2-3 We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, 3 remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father,
SO Paul takes quill in hand to encourage the believers in Thessalonica, to uplift them, and push them forward.
• The letter’s all about going farther, pressing on!
• That’s Paul’s relationship with them, he’s exhorting them.
• Look back at 2:10-11, 3.12, 4.1, 3.10,
• Considering the days in which they lived, they weren’t to become complacent, to turn apathetic, but to press on!
This message is for so many of you right now, today.
• You’re at a point of exhaustion & fatigue.
• But know, the finish line is just up ahead, right around the corner, and how the Lord desires to help you!
I. (4:1-2) Finally.
Chapter 4 opens up with the words Finally… and just like the true pastor, Paul will go on for another 2 chapters after his ‘finally’.
• He’s turning a corner here to inspire them on.
• He wants them to ABOUND… to overflow in love & purity.
THE WORD FOR ABOUND IN v1 means to “overflow, to have in abundance, to furnish richly”
• As Jesus fed the 5000, and it says,
John 6.12-13 - So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, "Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost." 13 Therefore they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten. OVER AND ABOVE
As the church is growing tremendously…
Acts 16.5 - So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and increased in number daily.
• It also describes a flower going from a bud to full bloom.
• We get the picture that it’s only just begun. That there is much more than we even expect! Again notice v1-2
II. (4:1-2, 9-12) More & More in LOVE
1. (4:1-2, 9-12) Abound More & More in LOVE
a. Ok Guys… keep growing & keep maturing…
b. Abound more & more in it.
c. And that’s the pattern of Paul’s life. He’s the encourager, the exhorter, and he says, “you’re doing great, now do better” You’ve come this far, now go farther”
NOTE: As we survey the landscape of the church today, I believe one ministry has fallen to the wayside:
• The ministry of EXHORTATION.
Romans 12.6-8 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; 7 or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; 8 he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
AND AS A Church, we need a balance.
• We need the encouragers those who can lift us up.
• And we need exhorters, those who can move us forward.
God never wants us to grow stagnant… To never have the attitude: “I’ve arrived, I’m here. This is it. There’s nothing more.”
• Oh yes, I heard that one before. Not again, why again? Come on!
• But the reality is that we need to hear these things over and over again. To please the Lord in all that we do!
• That’s our motivation in everything to please the Lord.
• Not to be recognized by others, to get the strokes or accolades of man, but to please the Lord.
APP: The great thing about serving the Lord is that no matter what we do, the most mundane & ordinary thing becomes exciting…
• Knowing that if we’re looking to the Lord and pleasing Him it’s a joy to be in His will!
• What an awesome thing, whether it’s sweeping a floor, cleaning a toilet, folding a piece of paper… whatever it may be!
• It’s for God and His kingdom and His purposes and wow what a blast it can be to seek to please Him!
• One day, we all pray and hope to hear these words:
Matthew 25.21 "His lord said to him, ’Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’
V2 – You know, he says, what commandments we gave you.
• That you might walk & please God!
• That you might increase in your brotherly love. Jump to v9.
The story is repeated over and over again… folks walking through the doors of this church… BEAT UP AND BURNED OUT ON SIN!
• Stuck in a miry pit, spiritually blind, not in tune with God.
• But a friend abounding in love invited you to church.
• You show up to a church abounding in love.
• The people, the ministry, the service all abounding in love.
• The Word that speaking of a God abounding in love.
• What does that love do? It melts you and changes you!
So LET THE CHURCH be abounding more & more in love!
III. (4:3-8) More & More in PURITY
2. (4:3-8) Abound More and More in PURITY.
1 Timothy 1.5 Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith,
NOTE: The culture for them then is very similar to ours now.
• The sexual climate was filled with immorality, promiscuity, and unashamed sinful behaviors.
• So the gospel, with its message of purity, holiness, and faithfulness in marriage and singleness was really something foreign in the minds of the people.
• But for the church, it liberating and powerful!
So it’s unfortunate to see many fall by the wayside in this area!
• It’s just plain sad! It breaks my heart every time I see it!
NOTE: As a pastor, I’m often asked “How can I know God’s will?”
• Many wonderful passages throughout the Bible that answer it.
2 Peter 3.9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
1 Thess 5.18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
1 Thess 4.3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality;
It is God’s will that we be sexually pure.
• So that His church will be powerfully pure!
We’ve seen in recent years, many strong men, useful men & women, become as dust through sexual immorality.
• It’s absolutely tragic! Their marriages dissolved, their ministries destroyed, their families left in desolation! Why!?!
• Because along the way, they failed to abound in purity.
NOTE: They began surfing the internet in rooms and sites.
• They began to let their minds venture off into the forbidden.
• A little flirtation here, a little toying there… and TRAP CLOSED!
• They let their guard down, and the enemy of our souls got them!
Brothers, Sisters… I plead with you. Stay pure. Remain pure. Abound in PURITY!
• Yes I know the society in which we live is plunging into radical & unbridled darkness. Marriages being redefined, homosexuality accepted & promoted, adultery no longer taboo.
• But God’s heart is for us to be PURE & HOLY & SET APART.
Prov. 14.34 Righteousness exalts a nation, But sin is a reproach to any people.
That way we won’t be controlled by passion of lust (4:5)
• But our lives will be lived in the power of His Spirit!
2 Tim. 2.22 Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
But in the verse before that…
Paul uses the same word, VESSELS in his letter to young Timothy.
• Look with me at 2 Timothy 2:20-21
2 Timothy 2.20-21 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. 21 Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.
1. (20-21) In A Great House Vessels.
a. Paul has in mind a picture of the church, the house of God.
b. So there are beautiful vases that sit out for all to admire.
c. And there are other vessels that are not readily seen.
d. The picture is here is not of usefulness, because each of these types of vessels are used.
e. The fine & the unrefined probably both get good use.
f. No the point here is the value AND quality of the vessel.
g. Is it clean? And as vessels of the Lord…
h. REALLY, the choice is ours…
i. Will we in v21, cleanse ourselves from the latter?
j. Will we strive toward holiness & godliness?
k. What does that mean? What does it look like?
NOTE: V21 is extremely helpful in the realm of our decisions.
• Asking a few simple questions, will help us gauge the heart of God for our lives… in the realm of our personal purity.
#1 – Will this help me honor God?
#2 – Will this sanctify me, set me apart for God?
#3 – Will this help my usefulness for the Master?
#4 – Will this prepare me for every good work?
1 Cor. 6.12 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.
1 Cor. 10.23 All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify.
SO we can add to that list…
#1 – Does it build you up spiritually?
#2 – Can it bring you under it’s power?
#3 – Does it give you an uneasy conscience?
#4 - Could it cause someone else to stumble?
NOTE: The decisions to these questions will determine how we possess our own vessel in sanctification & honor!
NOTE: So what’s a church, a believer to do in light of the soon return of Jesus Christ?
• Abound in LOVE… Abound in PURITY.
LOOK BACK IN v11, there is very practical advice on abounding more and more in love & purity!
#1 – Lead a quiet life. #2 – Mind your own business.
#3 – Work with your own hands.
• Yes the Lord is returning soon, but don’t waste your time or energies. Keep your focus strong & live lightly!
NOTE: It’s true, idle people often spend their time interfering with the affairs of others and getting themselves & others into trouble.
2 Thess 3.11 For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies.
Believers who about the Father’s business do have the time or the desire to meddle in the affairs of others.
• The life that abounds will see HOLINESS, HARMONY, and HONESTY flowing from them more and more.
• A witness to those who are on the outside, so desperately needing Jesus!
