Latest / Journey Elgin / Journey Through Scripture- 1 Thess 3-5
Transcript
- Phillip Thomas: It's good to see you today. My name is Philip Thomas, Pastor of Journey here in Elgin, Texas. This is our journey through Scripture. So we are continuing our chronological walk through through Scripture. And it's not not perfect chronologically, but ⁓ but but close. So we've been we started off going through Acts, and then as Paul hits some different areas, we go into some of his letters that he wrote back to those churches. And so we ⁓ started ⁓ First Thessalonians. ⁓ we're gonna finish that today. ⁓ will be chapters three through five of First Thessalonians. ⁓ so three through five. So the first ⁓ couple chapters were kind of the the introduction ⁓ and you know talking about how much Paul loves them and how they should act and all this. And then chapter three gets into a little bit of concern that Paul is has been worried ⁓ because he w if you remember, he wasn't able to spend as long with the church in Thessalonica. ⁓ it was whenever he was in the church at Th Thessalonica getting it started that ⁓ he ended up having to flee ⁓ because remember how people started following him around causing problems. He had to flee to Athens and then that's where he had the ⁓ the debate on Mars Hill ⁓ in Athens. ⁓ and Timothy ⁓ stayed there in Thessalonica. So ⁓ so Paul now is writing, he's heard from Timothy about how things are going. ⁓ but ⁓ he's he ⁓ he he shared his concern. And so as you start off there in ⁓ chapter three, ⁓ he says in verse two, sent Timothy, our brother brother, the minister of God, our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you and encourage you concerning your faith, that no one should be shaken by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are appointed to this. ⁓ so he's saying, I don't want you to be shaken because of what's happening to me and the afflictions that are coming your way. ⁓ again, this is so important. ⁓ and ⁓ we we live in in such an interesting time that you don't go about selling things by telling people how bad it's going to get for them. ⁓ and and that's kind of has led to kind of the prosperity gospel, the maybe the health and wealth type ⁓ style of of ⁓ gospel. If you're trying to to sell people on coming to know Christ. You want to give them all the benefits. Well, there are a lot of benefits, but also it doesn't mean that your life is just magically going to improve. It's not. In fact, it can make it more difficult trying to live a godly life in an ungodly pagan society. So Paul didn't want them to, you know, hear his message, accept what he said, and then see the affliction that he was going through and say, man, Enough of that. I'm I'm didn't sign up for this. I so he's he's concerned of that about that. ⁓ verse five, for this reason, ⁓ when I could no longer endure it, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter had tempted you, and our labor might be in vain. So he wanted to find out and make sure they were still holding strong. And ⁓ then in verse six he says, Timothy's come to us and brought us good news of your faith and love that you have always ⁓ have good remembrance of us. So so they have stayed faithful. Verse nine, for what thanks can we render to God for you for all the joy with which we rejoice to you ⁓ for your sake before our God, night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face and perfect what is lacking in your faith. And so they are really excited that they are holding on to the faith ⁓ and going to be encouraging them. Chapter four ⁓ goes into that again that plea to them to make sure that they live their life according to to the example of Christ. ⁓ it says, finally then, this is verse one of chapter four, finally then we urge and exhort in Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more, right? That you should continue to grow, just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, for you know what commandments we gave you through the Lord Jesus. So he's saying, I want you to continue to grow. Don't Don't s be satisfied where you are in a sense and just kind of take for granted, you know, hey, we believe in Jesus and we receive forgiveness. Great. Now we can just go about doing whatever. No, abound more and more, grow closer to God. He says, for this is the will of God, your sanctification, right? Sanctifying us, making us more like Him, that process of becoming more like Christ, that you should abstain from. From sexual immorality. Now it just wanna make this, you know sexual issues ⁓ have become are always a cultural hot hot point and are cause lots of division in our culture today. And and I know there are some who say, you know, let's we need to just quit talking about that. Well, the reason that sexual issues do become the forefront is because they are the check engine light of a society and of an individual. If you cannot control your own sexual desires, ⁓ it's going to be difficult for you to to start to to mold your life to to fit that that Christ has called you to live. Right. And and we see that it in societies, the the more sexually deviant they become, the fur the further they are getting away from God. ⁓ and we see all throughout scripture that the sexual immorality is one of the first things that's listed. It doesn't mean that it's the worst sin. ⁓ it just means it's an indicator of the direction you're headed. ⁓ and so what he says, you the will for God is for you to be sanctified in him. So if you are still sexually immoral, you're you're probably not headed in the right direction. You need to evaluate that. You need to allow God to start Change in your heart, change your perspective, change what you're putting into your mind. ⁓ right, it's so important to do that. So that you should abstain from sexual immorality, that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God. That no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such things, and also. forewarned you and testified, for God did not call us to unclean cleanness, but in holiness. Therefore he reject he who rejects this does not reject man, but God who has also given us the Holy Spirit. So if if you know it's basically saying if you don't like dealing with sin and talking about sin and getting sin under control in your life, you're you're actually disobeying God, not man. Right. It is it is God who has ⁓ given us those commandments and the ways that we should live. ⁓ He continues ⁓ kind of talking about the life that he d does that God desires for us to have. ⁓ he says, ⁓ but concerning brotherly love, this is in verse nine, ⁓ you who have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another and do so. But we urge you that you increase more and more, that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, to work with your hands, ⁓ as we commanded you, that you may walk properly towards those who are outside and that you may lack nothing. Right? They the the desire is them for them to have a quiet life, a a meaningful, a fulfilled life. And at the same time, they know, Paul knows that that's not always the case. But that is that is what God desires. But God Yet we live in this fallen world where that's not always going to happen. ⁓ and Paul actually addresses one of those things that it is frustrating that we have to deal with, and that's death. So clearly one of the things that the early church had to work out is they believed that Jesus was going to come back in their lifetime. ⁓ and so as time goes by, Jesus is not returning, and now they're seeing those whom they love who love who also have loved Jesus. Now they are dying. And so there are clearly were some questions about, hey, what's what's going on? You know, what do we do with this? And so Paul ⁓ is responding to that with words of encouragement. And ⁓ this is chapter four, starting in verse thirteen. He says, I do not want you to be ignorant concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. Or is is it so that you don't grieve like the rest of mankind who has no hope, right? He's not saying we don't grieve. He's saying we grieve with hope. So you're s it's still going to hurt. It's going to to be something that you grieve over whenever you lose someone that you love. But we can do that with hope because we know that they are now with Christ. And he goes and uses some of the sam similar language that fits right back to the old testament of you the trumpets of of calling the gathering to to together and how ⁓ all will be gathered and and Be with Christ, that He is going to leave no one behind. ⁓ and the purpose of this whole passage is in verse 18. Therefore, comfort one another with these words. So encourage each other. So whenever you're going through those difficult times and grieving, ⁓ grieve with hope and comfort each other with the truth of knowing that you will be with God. ⁓ then it ⁓ go goes into the day of the Lord, and so Again, this is clearly there they're having questions of again, why has this not ⁓ happened? Says, For you yourselves, ⁓ verse two, know perfectly that the day of the Lord comes as a thief at night, for when they say peace and safety, then suddenly destruction comes upon them, as they labor pains upon pregnant women, and they shall not escape. ⁓ but you are not in darkness, so that the day should not overtake you ⁓ like a thief. You are sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of night nor of the darkness. Therefore let us not sleep as others do, but let us watch and be sober. ⁓ so it's being prepared that that we do not get consumed by the darkness around us. ⁓ but verse eight, but let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love as the helmet of the hope of salvation. ⁓ again, therefore comfort each other, edifying one another just as you are are doing. So be prepared. ⁓ you know, that God may come at at any time. But we do not need to focus on the darkness. So kind of what they were doing is like, God, look at how bad it is. Why aren't you coming? Hurry up. Come back. And I have to admit, I empathize with that. ⁓ as I look at the world around us, sometimes like, okay, God, well, it's time to time for you to come on back. ⁓ but what he says is don't be consumed by that. You are not of the darkness, you are of the day. So be sober minded, be prepared, continue to live in faith and live righteously. ⁓ right, even in the in the face of the darkness around you. And then he gives different closes with some more encouragement, exhortations. ⁓ verse fourteen of ⁓ chapter five. Now we exhort you, brothers, warn those who are unruly, comfort the faint hearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all, see that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good for both yourselves and for all. Right. Again, this good and evil. We see that throughout all of Scripture. God is a God who the wants to purge evil and wants to to allow good to overcome. And we have to be a source of that. We can be a source of either evil or we can be a source of good. ⁓ then he says, Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Again, he's speaking to our perspective on life, how important it is. That we should have a an attitude and a heart that can rejoice always. Doesn't mean we're always going to be happy. Happy is an emotion that goes up and down. Being joyful is something rooted in something bigger, rooted in the fact that we know that we are not alone, that God is with us no matter what we may be going through. So we can rejoice even on the most difficult day. So we rejoice always. We pray without ceasing. Obviously that doesn't mean you're in the corner doing nothing but having your head bowed. But you are in constant awareness of God's presence. Your life is a constant ⁓ conversation with God, that you are praying without ceasing, ⁓ and that that you in everything giving thanks, not giving thanks for every circumstance, but giving thanks to God and giving thanks for how God will use whatever circumstances you you are in for the good. And it says, Do not quench the spirit, do not despise prophecy prophecies, test all things. ⁓ today we need to be testing all things. Hold fast what to what is good. Abstain from every form of evil. Stay away from it. And that's that is made more complicated. That should be something simple. But we now live in a society who we we disagree with each other on what is good and what is evil. ⁓ so therefore you have to be testing the spirits. You have to be not testing the prophecies, testing the teachings, what fits with scripture. ⁓ that we have to follow that. That is the basis for our truth, and we don't have to be ashamed from that, and we strive to abstain from every form of evil and to do good. All right. So let's look at second Thessalonians, ⁓ the whole thing, chapters one through three. Second Thessalonians. We'll see you then.