More Christian Aspirations
1 Thess 4:9-12
A few
weeks ago now, we looked at Christian love as an important theme in 1
Thessalonians. Last week we looked at a rabbit trail that came out of that
material. It also shows us the influence of the Apostle Paul on the letter. The
Apostolic Band wrote about love, they addressed issues of lust, lewdness and
lasciviousness--especially in marriage- and now the text comes back to a
summary statement about their Christian love once again. Then is just a few
verses, the topic switches to three more Christian Aspirations. Yet, the text
also shows us that these are not new to them. They don't come out of Timothy's
visit to them, but from the original visit of Paul and his fellow-laborers. It
was at some point during that more prolonged contact, that Paul or one of the
others commanded them about these things. Their words were strong in person as
regards these matters.
There is a
balance to commanding, urging and admonishing. Sometimes, there is very little
difference, while other times there is a great deal of difference. The force of
these words and others should be thought of as being on a continuum of force of
language. Sometimes a polite or gentle urge is a strong command especially if
someone is already under conviction or if they have a humble and sensitive
heart. Then there are others who never get correction. They are too busy
thinking about other people who needed to hear that, rather than their own real
need to hear and follow-through the Word of God.
Let's read
at 1 Thess 4:9-12:
1 Thess
4:9-12 But
concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you
yourselves are taught by God to love one another; 10 and indeed you do so toward all the
brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, that you increase
more and more; 11 that you also aspire to lead a quiet life,
to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded
you, 12 that you may walk properly toward those
who are outside, and that you may lack nothing.
1. A Reminder about Brotherly Love
A.
Taught by God 9a
a.
love one another 9b
b.
all in Macedonia10a
B.
Urged to increase in love (to all) 10b
2. Three Aspirations
A.
Lead a Quiet Life 11a
B.
Mind your own Business 11b
C.
Work with Your Own Hands 11c
D.
As Previously Commanded 11d
3. The Twofold Effect
A.
Walk Properly Toward Outsiders 12a
B.
You May Lack Nothing 12b
Let's look at the text:
1. A Reminder about Brotherly Love-- But
concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you,
What is in view in these words is not the natural
sort of love that develops among a people with a common interest--it is not a
mere fraternity of similar interest like there may have been at an ancient
Guild or at the Pagan temples. The love the church full of believers is being
reminded about it a peculiar kind of love. It is the expression of the highest
form of love given by God and manifest for His own glory in the world.
The Apostolic Band says they have no need to
teach them, though it is worth reminding them…. This unique love they have is a
divine kind of love that no man can teach--they can teach about it--but there
is no formula that says do this and you will have this special divine love. It
can be taught about. There are many places in the scriptures that teach us
about it--1 Cor 13:4-7; John 13; 1 John 4. What makes it so special and a
different kind than any other love is this…. It is….
A.
Taught by God 9a-- for you yourselves are taught by God. What a wonderful love
it must be to affect them so deeply that it became the one thing for which
God's people in Thessalonica were known for.
This is what was intended in the first place. It
should not have been so unique. But, it was. Not all churches, even those
planted and nourished by the hands of apostles develop in the same ways and in
the same graces. The profound grace present in Thessalonica was love, Godly
Love.
In the Gospel of John we read these words: John
6:45 It is written in the prophets,
‘And they shall all be taught by God.’[a] Therefore everyone who has heard and learned[b] from the Father comes to Me.
Back in the prophet Isaiah, we find:
Isa 54:13
All your children shall be taught by the Lord,
And great shall be the peace of your children.
And great shall be the peace of your children.
The passage is talking about a great time when
the covenant of peace will be established by the hand of God manifest by his
presence among his people. When you see that, think God is at work among them
teaching them.
But, in the New Covenant, there is more to
consider: The presence of and the work of the Spirit is promised is great
measure even more than it had been in Israel. Read Jer 31 as it is quoted in
Hebrews 8 & 10 sometime.
Recipients of God's grace in the New Covenant
have the special presence of the Holy Spirit as part of the promises fulfilled
in them. Always in harmony with the Word of God, they are led by Him. A sign
that people are truly God's people is that they are led by and follow the
Spirit's directions.
Rom 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
These are not mystical impressions and special
revelations, these are times of guidance based on the revelation that is
already given. That is why Paul wrote Romans--to instruct the church that they
might walk in the Spirit. Those who seek to be led in other extra-biblical
ways, especially when they contradict the scriptures, are walking in the flesh.
People who think they are being led directly by the Spirit are mystics and can
be very dangerous. Not much of anything can shake them from thinking they have
a special in with God to guide them beyond the scriptures. Mysticism blinds the
soul from the true leading of God by the Spirit through the Word of God. I can
understand that people want a sense of God being close to them, but his Word
and his revealed will should not be distorted to justify our choices and
actions. It is not loving to God or others.
The Thessalonians are encouraged because they…
a.
love one another 9b-- to love one another
It may seem obvious to us. But a manifestation of
God's love among a people is tremendous evidence for others to see. It is the
first in the list of what the Spirit produces in those He has called out of
darkness into light, those to whom he has given a new heart, those he has risen
from spiritual death.
Gal 5:22-23: But the fruit of the Spirit is love,
joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness,
self-control. Against such there is no law.
Time and time again in the New Testament we find
the admonition to love one another. We can because the Spirit produces it in
us. Any church lacking in love is in serious shape.
But, the love in the Thessalonian Church was not
just directed to itself. It had a broader manifestation….
b.
all in Macedonia10a--; 10 and indeed you do so toward all the brethren who
are in all Macedonia.
The analogy would be to our church and all of New
England. Macedonia was a Greek-speaking
province of the Roman Empire. It is the area just north and west of the
circle of islands we usually think of as Greece. Today it enjoys its
independence.
The Church in Thessalonica was committed to the
good of other churches in their area. We could call it an informal associating
with one another for the common work of the Gospel as expressed through Christian
love.
There is another object of their love that goes
unmentioned in the text. All of the love they expressed towards one another in
tangible ways and all of the love they should to God's people in their
geographic region was, in a very real sense, love to God, as well.
Simply put when we love others properly and in
godly ways, we also love the one who gave us that love. He gave it to us for
his own purposes. It is a way He uses his sovereign providences to provide what
is needed for his sheep.
That is unstated, but from other places the case
has been made on a number of occasions.
Even with this divine love among them and flowing to others from them,
they are urged….
B.
Urged to increase in love 10b-- But we urge you, brethren, that you increase
more and more;
Love is not a static thing that either you have
or you don't. It can increase and diminish. It is dynamic. It is a grace that
must always be remembered and cultivated. Even after preaching on Christian
love a few weeks ago, immediately after the service I had a couple of
conversations that contradicted all I said about the need to examine our
actions by the standard of love before we go through with them. Love, true
gospel love, real Spirit-produced love continuously demonstrated is actually a
very rare thing--although people think otherwise. People, even Christians are
not naturally loving by God's standards. We need His work in us and through us
to love supernaturally in the same way God has loved.
That love includes doing good to all men-- Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of
faith. Galations 6:10.
To all sorts of people, to all who become our neighbors, to
do good to them is to love them. Remember, we have a special call to do good
especially for the household of faith--our spiritual family.
Added to that reminder are…..
2. Three Aspirations--Define aspire
To aspire after something is to direct one's
ambitions to the pursuit of lofty and noble ends. There in Thessalonica, where
the dangers of the mob still exist, where there are some Jews who may remain
hostile to the cause of Christ and others who will not be a friend of the
church, be very careful to not provoke them, but pursue these three ends
instead:
A.
Lead a Quiet Life 11a-- 11 that you also aspire to lead a quiet life,
What does a quiet life look like? It would be
good for us to know because it is what we are called to--it is how we ought to
live. As I said about Thessalonica, a lot of this would be to live in such a
way that you don't make a lot of noise, speaking metaphorically. Don't draw
attention to yourself and cause problems for others. you don't have to speak
your mind every time an issue comes up. Oftimes, the wise thing to do while
among people in the world is just to be quiet--and to be known for quietness.
I've been working on this for years. I am more quiet today than I have been in
the past. I understand the wisdom of it more now than in the past. But, I'll
admit, at times and among certain people, I need to be more quiet.
Isaiah 32:17 reads, The work of righteousness will be peace, And the effect of
righteousness, quietness and assurance forever.
Do you want greater peace and less strife or to be able to
handle strife, at least? Seek first the kingdom of God and his
righteousness….Matt 6:33
2 Thess 3:11-12 For we hear that there are some
who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are
busybodies.12 Now those who are such we command and
exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their
own bread.
Did you notice the reference? 2 Thess. Some had
to be told, yea commanded to work in quietness. Someone was being too loud
either literally or metaphorically by drawing attention to him or herselfs.
The remaining two aspirations are close to the
words in this text from 2 Thess.
B.
Mind your own Business 11b-- to mind your own business,
C.
Work with Your Own Hands 11c-- and to work with your own hands,
B.
Mind your own Business 11b-- to mind your own business,
What is it to mind your own business? It is to
not be a busybody trying to mind everybody else's business. When we mind other
people's business, we often get it wrong, jump to conclusions and don't go back
to the true source to find out if what we were told is so. To mind one own
business is a spiritual grace that sees that YOU have enough to do taking care
of your own life or the lives of others placed under your care and influence by
God.
All of us should have the godly aspiration to
mind our own business. The opposite, to mind the business of others, by
negation and inference is ungodly--but found so often in the churches.
I've been dealing with an issue where five people
have all used the same vocabulary and phrases to explain two related items that
the five think are the same, when it is really two issues that are
contradictory. Trying to mind someone else's business will turn you into a
hypocrite or worse.
And thirdly, to….
C.
Work with Your Own Hands 11c-- and to work with your own hands,
This phrase is found often in the ancient world.
It is a euphemism for the individual to earn their own livelihood as much as it
is possible. Or, until that is impossible, work with your own hands.
The workers did not always get paid in money like
in our economy. They received wages in a number of ways. So, do whatever you
can to legally and godly earn a living, day to day, if needed. In 2 Thess 3,
they are told, if a man doesn't work, don't let him eat.
Throughout the ages in a variety of places, there
are always some who will take advantage of others.
DO you feel the force of these words? These are
being written to a church known for its love. Even love has its limits--that is
an important lesson to learn. Even churches do not have an ongoing
responsibility for people who will not do or even try to do what is right. The
church's responsibility is to teach them the way of the righteous.
They are reminded that these items were…
D.
As Previously Commanded 11d-- …as we commanded you,
These items weren't just urgings and admonitions.
They were commands with the full weight of apostolic authority given by Christ
Jesus Himself. They are not optional--some who have been among wished they
were.
These are commands to the churches from the
Apostles. These are things we must do if we are able:
A.
Lead a Quiet Life 9in (1 Tim 2 it adds in all godliness)11a
B.
Mind your own Business 11b
C.
Work with Your Own Hands 11c
Those are the basics of life lived unto the glory
of God in this age. It sounds rather normal and mundain. We are not called to
be Christian celebrities--not even Christian celebrities are called by God to
that task. We are not called to protest any and all problems we hear about. We
are called to confront them in ourselves and in our own churches, if the
leadership so directs under the Word. We are not called to picket or boycott
even when the injustice breaks our heart.
We are called to: A. Lead a Quiet Life 11a
B.
Mind your own Business 11b
C.
Work with Your Own Hands 11c
These simple things will have a wonderful effect.
It is a….
3. The Twofold Effect
A.
Walk Properly Toward Outsiders 12a--12 that you may walk
properly toward those who are outside,
Do you want outsiders, people outside of the
church and Christ to think well of you, your lord and your faith?
A.
Lead a Quiet Life 11a
B.
Mind your own Business 11b
C.
Work with Your Own Hands 11c
Do you want to be full to overflowing with all
your truly need for the good of your Christian life and to glorify God?
Would you like to…
B.
You May Lack Nothing 12b-- and that you may …lack nothing.
Three
things:
A.
Lead a Quiet Life 11a
B.
Mind your own Business 11b
C.
Work with Your Own Hands 11c
Lay these upon the foundation of Godly love and
you will change yourself, your world and you sphere of influence.
It will also give you opportunity to quietly and
gently point others to Jesus. That is what is most important after all is said
and done. That in our words and by our lives we have put the living Lord Jesus
before the awareness of others.
May Jesus Christ be praised. Amen
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