Paul’s First Letter to the Thessalonians

Macedonia

THESSALONIANS 4: 1-12 Christian Behaviour ‘we instructed you how to live in order to please God’ v1

‘Finally, brothers, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. 3 It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honourable, 5not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God; 6and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you. 7For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. 8 Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit. 9 Now about brotherly love we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. 10And in fact, you do love all the brothers throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers, to do so more and more. 11 Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, 12so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.’ 1 Thessalonians 1:1-12 ©NIV

Issues for the Thessalonians Family Living vv 3–8: Sanctification Fellowship Loving vv 9–10: Saints Fruitful Lifestyle vv 11–12: Support

Fellowship Loving – Saints Now about brotherly love we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. And in fact, you do love all the brothers throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers, to do so more and more.

‘Finally, brothers, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. 3 It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honourable, 5not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God; 6and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you. 7For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. 8 Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit. 9 Now about brotherly love we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. 10And in fact, you do love all the brothers throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers, to do so more and more. 11 Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, 12so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.’ 1 Thessalonians 1:1-12 ©NIV

‘Finally, brothers, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. 3 It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honourable, 5not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God; 6and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you. 7For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. 8 Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit. 9 Now about brotherly love we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. 10And in fact, you do love all the brothers throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers, to do so more and more. 11 Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, 12so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.’ 1 Thessalonians 1:1-12 ©NIV

‘Brothers’ - CODENAME ‘brotherly love’ = φιλαδελφία [philadelphia] ‘brothers’ = αδελφοί [adelphoi] = ‘fellowship’; Used 17 times in 1 Thessalonians – TNIV ‘believer’ or ‘brothers and sisters’ ‘love each other … more and more’

Family Living – Sanctification 3‘It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honourable, 5not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God; 6and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you. 7For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. 8Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.

What is Sanctification? 1. To set apart for sacred use; consecrate. 2. To make holy; purify. Greek ‘hagiazo’ = ‘make holy’ Latin: ‘sanctus’

What is Sanctification? 1. To set apart for sacred use; consecrate. 2. To make holy; purify. Greek ‘hagiazo’ = ‘make holy’ Latin: ‘sanctus’ Position v Progression ‘Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified’ John 17:17-19

Sinbearer – Saviour – Sovereign Justified – Sanctified – Glorified The Christian Life Died – Rose – Coming Sinbearer – Saviour – Sovereign Justified – Sanctified – Glorified Past – Present – Future Sanctified = becoming more like Jesus

God’s Will for us ‘It is God’s will that you should be sanctified that you should avoid sexual immorality that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honourable that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.

Fruitful Lifestyle – Support Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.

Work and be Fruitful Keep away from every believer who is idle and disruptive and does not live according to the teaching you received from us... We were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it... For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “Anyone who is unwilling to work shall not eat.” We hear that some among you are idle and disruptive. They are not busy; they are busybodies. Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the bread they eat. 2 Thessalonians 3:6-12 ‘Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might’ Ecclesiastes 9:10 ‘Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God’ 1 Cor 10:31

John Wesley’s Advice Earn all you can Save all you can Give all you can

Summary We are in a family together We are to imitate Our Father - ‘Be holy as I am’ We are growing – being saint-ified daily We show love by submitting to our Father’s will He empowers us by His Spirit to live a miraculous life Live, love and support each other generously