Sermon for 3/7/2004
1 Thessalonians 4:9-12
Introduction:
Recently, the Associated Press conducted a survey of 39 different Protestant denominations. And they asked one question: "What is the number one factor that causes congregations to grow?" Are there any factors you can find in every growing church regardless of doctrine, denomination, location, culture, etc?
Well, it wasn’t the preaching. It wasn’t the presence of a children’s ministry. And it wasn’t air conditioning. On the basis of the survey, they discovered that the number one characteristic of a growing church was the atmosphere of love among the membership. The Press concluded that people everywhere are looking for love. And if Christians really began to love each another the way God would want us to, then we would have to lock the doors to keep the people away.
WBTU:
A. The greatest compliment a church can receive is that it is a loving church. They will know we are Christians by our love.
B. Vs. 9- No need to write to you. Taught by God. God is love. The essence of the gospel is love. If we have Jesus Christ in our hearts, then he will teach us to love.
C. I am sure that Paul had mentioned love in his preaching but it is concept that is easier said than done. God teaches us how to love. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins.
D. The New Testament world was a world not so unlike our own. This church had been together only a year and they came from many walks of life. Jews and Gentile together. Sexual immorality was more of a problem among Gentiles. Very offensive to Jews.
E. Different political views; different nationalities (Greeks along with Romans, barbarians, and Eastern Peoples); Freed men and slaves; different languages (Greek and others); Different religious backgrounds; Social statuses; generational issues. Beginning to sound like our world. Only fellowship (sharing something in common) that they could have was around the gospel. This bound their hearts together as brothers and sisters in Christ.
F. 4 words in the Greek language that translate as love. 2 are not used. Other two are agape and philia. Agape is the sacrificing kind of love. Philia is a love prompted by appreciation and affection. The phrase “brotherly love” in vs. 9 translates Philadelphia, a word partly based on the root of philia. In Greek, Philadelphia is almost always used of the love among the children in a family. In the New Testament, the world always refers to the love of Christians for one another.
G. Behold, how they love one another.
H. The deeper our love to Jesus, the warmer will be our love to all His disciples. This can break down any wall, barrier in our world. See a group of Christians that are not harmonious, not loving; we see a group of people who need more of Jesus Christ. This is the only way of unity. Must have agape love and philia love.
I. VS. 10- Not only to the Christians they saw on a daily basis but also had love toward Christians in the region. 5th Sunday rallies; National Day of Prayer; the Passion of the Christ. Competitive spirit needs to be eliminated. Alexander Campbell talked about this a great deal.
J. Increase more and more… The difficulties that we have with one another are opportunities for us to grow in our love. This explains why Christians who have had the most problems with each other often end up loving one another deeply, much to the amazement of the world.
Thesis: In Vs. 11 Paul gives us three practical guidelines in love and then he gives us two benefits of these guidelines.
For instances:
A. Three practical guidelines
1. Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life
a. Sounds like a paradox- J.B. Phillips translated the phrase as “Make it your ambition to have no ambition!”
b. If you are ambitious, your life will not be quiet. Searches after greatness cause us to have a loud spirit; do this and then do that, etc.
c. For the phrase "quiet life" suggests a calmness, a serenity
d. Yet for this we are to be "ambitious", apply diligent effort, which seems to be contrary to the idea of quietness, calm
e. The "quiet life", like many good things, does not come without concerted effort
f. A quiet and peaceful life is more likely if we:
1) Seek first the kingdom of God - Mt 6:33
a) Which requires setting our priorities
b) Which requires saying no to many distractions
2) Learn contentment in Christ - (Phil 4:11 NIV) I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.(Phil 4:12 NIV) I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.(Phil 4:13 NIV) I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
3) Overcome anxiety through prayer - (Phil 4:6 NIV) Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.(Phil 4:7 NIV) And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
g. The search for "simplicity" is a popular trend today; for the
Christian, it is to be more than just a trend, but a way of
life conducive to godliness and honesty
h. If we seek this, we will have time for the important things of life. WE fill our time and thoughts with things that are not important.
i. IF we seek after God, our love will increase more and more.
2. Make it your ambition to mind your own business
a. The first guideline when taken with this one suggests that some of the Thessalonians were meddling in the affairs of others, stirring up trouble, or gossiping around town. Such behavior- still know among Christians- is wrong and reflects badly on Christ and Christ’s church.
b. Don’t go too far with this. (Gal 6:1 NIV) Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.(Gal 6:2 NIV) Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
c. This is great but we should not go around and meddle in other people’s affairs. If it is known for a fact then yes. If it is questionable then leave it alone.
d. There was a preacher who had a brother who was a drunkard. Some times at night this preacher’s brother would call him and ask him for a ride back home. The preacher would go to the tavern and take his brother home. After this happened a few times, it was reported that the preacher was down at the tavern getting drunk with his brother. This went on for several years and the preacher almost lost his ministry several times. He had to keep reassuring the leadership this was not the case. After several years, this preacher’s brother came to Christ and was able to completely give up alcohol. He would often tell his brother and sisters in Christ that his preacher brother was such a good witness to him because he never got drunk.
e. I think it is ridiculous to talk about other churches. I don’t know all of the facts. I have little dealings or little influence over other churches. However, as a preacher of the gospel, I do have influence here. I better be concerned with where I am.
THERE IS NO PLACE FOR NOSY INTERFERENCE...
1. Paul is warning against becoming "busybodies", people who have
nothing to do but interfere in the affairs of others
3. Fine line between brotherly concern and being a busybody.
a. Even at Thessalonica - (2 Th 3:11 NIV) We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies. (2 Th 3:12 NIV) Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the bread they eat.
3. Work with your own hands
A. If the Thessalonians had kept themselves busy at useful labor, they would not have had time to get in trouble with meddling, troublemaking, or gossiping.
B. Greeks despised manual labor, thinking it fit only for slaves. There dream was to hit it big and then just to sit around and do nothing. For Jews manual labor had dignity. In the mind of Paul, a Jew, respect for hard work had a place in the church’s tradition.
C. Not just because that is the way he was raised, there was good reason for it. If you are busy doing something, you have no time to meddle in other’s affairs.
D. The child at school who causes trouble because they are the first one done and they are bored.
E. Unfortunately, some of the new Christians in Thessalonica had given up their jobs in order to wait for the Lord’s coming. This meant that they were supported by other Christians, some of whom may not have had sufficient funds for their own families.
F. Why work? Because that is what God made us for. An idle mind is the devil’s workshop.
G. Why work? To provide for our own families. (1 Tim 5:8 NIV) If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
H. Why work? To help the less fortunate; to demonstrate our love through giving. (Acts 20:34 NIV) You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions.(Acts 20:35 NIV) In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ’It is more blessed to give than to receive.’"
I. While we may occasionally need assistance from our brethren
(even our government), we are not to make it a practice to
"Live off welfare"
J. (2 Th 3:10 NIV) For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: "If a man will not work, he shall not eat."
K. I am disabled; I am out of work, etc. You can do something that will be beneficial for the church and beneficial for society. Louise Webb. Give me names of people to call.
L. Christians who are about the Father’s business do not have the time- or desire- to meddle in the affairs of others.
B. The Benefits
1. Not be dependent on anybody.
A. Self-respect that comes from taking care of oneself.
B. Should not live off of charity. Might need it from time to time, but this is not the goal. Our needs are supplied by the Lord.
C. If we are in heavy debt, we are dependent on a job or someone else. This should not be. Consumer debt hit a record $2 trillion in December 2003 (Government will soon reach $10 trillion), according to the most recent figures of the Federal Reserve. That debt includes credit cards and car loans, but not mortgages. More than 1.6 million people filed for personal bankruptcy in fiscal year 2003. Continuing the record-setting pace of recent years, personal bankruptcies rose 7.8 percent in the 12 months ending Sept. 30, according to the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts.
2. Win the respect of outsiders.
A. If we cannot pay our bills, we lose our testimony.
B. Non-Christians are watching us to see how we behave. If we have joy and love, then non-Christians are favorable impressed with the Christian faith.
C. The opposite is also true.
D. There is a very close connection between the way we do our work and the attitude that unbelievers will have toward the gospel.
D. Either we are building bridges for the gospel or we are burning them down
