SO FOCUSED ON GOSPEL LIVING
1
Thess 4:11-12
What does it mean to be so focused on gospel
living? Everything
you do should be done out of complete dependence on the blood-bought grace and
promises found in the death and resurrection of Christ. Everything
you do should be done with a view of displaying the all-satisfying grace of God
in the gospel. Everything
you do should show the glory of God, by treasuring above all things the One
through whom grace comes. Our Lord
Jesus Christ! He is our plumb line, the one who stands at the finish line when
we pass from this life into the next. He is the
reason we exist and live and find true joy in the midst of broken and fallen
world. As Paul wrote “He has delivered us from
the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in
whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.
For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and
invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things
were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him
all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the
beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be
preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and
through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven,
making peace by the blood of his cross. And you, who once were alienated and
hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh
by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach
before him,” Col 1:14-22
Sometimes we
tend to forget this truth as we walk out the door our homes. Our lives
are hidden in Christ, and we should aspire to be like the image of Him to those
outside the church. “Aspire” by
definition is…. to long, aim, or seek energetically; be eagerly desirous,
especially for something great or of high value. God has set
us apart to righteous living and that is only possible through the Lord Jesus
Christ and the work of the Spirit in our lives.
What are we to aspire for in the Christian life? As Mark Devers said “If you're
a Christian parent, what do you want for your kids? If you're a Christian kid,
what do you want for your family? Probably you want a number of attributes to
increasingly mark your family: love, joy, holiness, unity, and reverence before
the Lord. You can probably think of a number of items. But let's try to sum up
all those qualities with one not very exciting word: healthy. You want a
healthy family—a family that works and lives and loves together as God designed
the family to do. So it is for our churches. I propose that Christians, whether
pastors or church members, should aspire to have healthy churches.” We are to
aspire to live a life pleasing to God, as individuals, but also we’re to aspire
as we saw last week, to be a church that desires for other true bible believing
churches. We are to
aspire is to seek eagerly with a passion, for the true church to be a healthy
church. Why, for what purpose? We see the
answer in the text! (v12) What does it mean to be a Christian in today’s
21st century?
It’s
very tough and stretching to say the least!
It’s
definitely a persevering faith!
“Christianity is a shoe-leather faith....a living, practical faith that hits the
streets in normal, everyday life, affecting everything from believer’s simplest
attitudes and most mundane actions to their profoundest thoughts and noblest
deeds......It’s only by belief in the gospel of Jesus Christ does the power of
God transform the lives so that what believer’s profess that are able to live” John MacArthur. So Paul, once again leaves us more bread crumbs to help us
understand what we are to aspire for as a church under God’s unmerited and
unconditional grace found in the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Aspire to live quietly (v11)
The idea
includes being quiet, inwardly calm, living quiet peaceable and orderly lives. We are to
walk in this community with the unspoken testimony that displays who you belong
to, the Lord Jesus Christ. We are not
to be the cause of gossip or speaking out inappropriately. We are not
to seek the lime light, seek only to be loved and prized by Christ ALONE! Eccl 4:6
“Better a handful with quietness than both hands full, together with toil and
grasping for the wind.” We are to be
leading peaceful lives, free of conflict and hostility towards others. This is our
witness or testimony to the transforming power of the Gospel. Don’t give people a reason to say anything
negative about you and your character! Walk in way
that displays Christ as extremely valuable and not worth to dishonor by bad
decisions our loud behavior. So as Paul said in 2 Cor 5:9 “Therefore
we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him.” What do I mean? Don’t hang
out in compromising situations with the opposite sex when no one’s around. Don’t put
yourself in any situation that is going to cause people to speak poorly about
you or your church family. Don’t give
the unsaved world any reason to call you “a hypocrite’ as Jesus did with the
so-called religious elites. Don’t put
yourself in uncompromising situations that cause confusion, not only for the
saved, but confusion for the unsaved as well. We are to
live peaceably with all people, but
without compromising at the same time. Esteem to
live a quit life........because it keeps you from controversy and it causes you
to grow deep in love with Christ.
Aspire to mind your own business (v11)
We are not
to be the cause of grief or meddling in the affairs of others (murmuring). This was a becoming a problem for the church. Paul writes later in 2Thess 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 (wasting their labour...running around meddling in
everyone’s problems). Now those who are such we command and exhort through our
Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread.” When a
person isn’t keeping busy ......they tend to have a lot time to think and that
usually leads to trouble. Ask my younger
daughter Hannah, what she does when she
is bored? Paul was
telling the church to work diligently, to stay out of other’s people’s business
and lead quiet, unobtrusive lives that serve for the glory of God. A great example of this is found Matthew 20:1-16. Where Jesus,
speaks of a landowner, who hires a group of labourers at different time of the
day. To do what? Tend to his vineyard. He hired some first thing in the morning, and
more throughout the day. At the end
of the day, Jesus says, the man paid everyone according to his (the
landowner's) goodness. "So
when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, 'Call the
laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.' And
when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a
denarius (a fair days wage). But when the first came, they supposed that they
would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius. (V8-v10)
But
something happens when they all get their wage. "And
when they had received it, they complained against the landowner, saying,
'These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who
have borne the burden and the heat of the day.' (V11-v12). What does the Landowner Say? Matt
20:14-16 “Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man
the same as to you. Is it not lawful for
me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am
good?' So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few
chosen." This is the
kind of behavior Paul is speaking of here to the church of Thessalonica. We are not
to pursue.....we are not to interfere in other people’s business. Keep your
mouth shut....because this speaks volumes to your true character is what Paul
is saying!! When they punched, slapped, spit and whip Jesus
to a pulp, the bible says “When he was reviled, he did not revile in
return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself
to him who judges justly.” 1 Peter 2:23
Aspire to work with your hands (v11)
Many of the
working class and slave labor Christians, thought since they were free through
Jesus Christ, this meant they were free from their duties to their master...But
that is not true? We don’t
quit our jobs and mooch of others because we are saved by Jehovah God (My
Provider) God gave us a mind and it’s called common-sense!! We are to
work until He comes back or calls us home!! Paul said this to Philemon about Onesimus “no longer
as a slave but more than a slave—a beloved brother, especially to me but how
much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.” (Verse 16). The
Christian life is not a free ride as we see in 2 Thess 3:10 “if anyone will not work, neither shall they
eat”. Eph 4:28
we read
“Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work
with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.” It’s the same thing Paul spoke of to the other
churches...
“Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with
eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God. And
whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that
from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the
Lord Christ. But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done, and
there is no partiality.” Col 3:22-25
Our
community must be given no excuse for thinking that Christians were and are unprofitable
members to society. As FF Bruce said “the church
could not discharge its ministry of witness and reconciliation in the world
unless its members adorned the gospel with their lives as well as their lips.” What are we to do, so that this doesn’t happen
to us? A great
example is the parable of the 1o minas (3 month’s salary), which was
a very small amount of money found in Luke 19:12-13. We are to
carry on with our everyday lives and responsibilities until Christ returns. How? By using the time we have for Him
and the gifts He has given us. A life that
exemplifies the Lord Jesus Christ in action and in word. Because they both go
hand in hand. Can I ask you! What are you
doing with your minas until the nobleman return, until Jesus return? Some Christians would say “employment
is for work, school is for learning, leisure is for playing, and church is for
Sunday.” But that is so wrong! Our lives
are on display for the world to see the grace that He freely gives to all who
come to Him through REPENTABNCE and FAITH. Whether we
are at work, school, play or church…..everyday should be treated as a Sunday! A wretched
group of people, [you and I] saved
by sovereign grace. As Paul said “Jesus is not part of your
life; Jesus is your life.” “If then you
have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is,
seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not
on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with
Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear
with him in glory.” Col 3:1-4
So! Why should I aspire to live like this Paul? Answer! (v12) “so that you may walk properly
before outsiders…” “Properly” by
definition is “conforming to established standards of behavior or manners;
correct or well-behaved.” This is how we
are to live before outsiders, living a life that is above reproach! “Above
reproach”
means “a life free from sinful habits or behaviors that would hinder his or
hers life. It’s the
idea of setting the bar high! This is the highest Christian standard and model
for the church. Sadly though, what do outsiders see coming from
the church
- Gossip and murmuring
- Childish behavior when things don’t go your way.
- Confused people who don’t know what they believe.
- Arguing about the most unorthodox things.
- Self-righteous behavior and attitude
- Treating one another’s with contempt which leads to disunity.
- Backstabbing
Instead we should aspire and be known as a…….
- Gospel saturated church that digs deep into His word.
- People who truly love one another, despite our imperfections.
- People walking in a way that is pleasing to God
- Reflecting and speaking the truth in love as Christ did.
Redeem the time in a worthy manner....because
for the day is at hand.
- Live a life that brings honor and praise to the Gospel that saved you.
- Live a life that knows enough to keep the big barn door shut.
- Live a life that lives practically and usefully until the Lord returns.
The church
is to be an example to the world, not a hindrance, or a laughing stock.
Stop speaking inappropriately and preserve
your testimony to those outside. Stop murmuring and mind your own business
and preserve your testimony to those outside. Stop mooching off others and
work! And preserve your testimony to those outside. Display that
Christ is more valuable and that the people around you are more important than
life itself. We must
never evade our daily responsibilities under the pretense of proclaiming or
preparing for Christ’s return..........“To do so, is to distort this great hope
we have.” The world is watching to see if you and I are
who we say, we are! “Walk
in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time.” Col 4:5. As Mark Devers said “A healthy
church is not a church that's perfect and without sin. It has not figured
everything out. Rather, it's a church that continually strives to take God's
side in the battle against the ungodly desires and deceits of the world, our
flesh, and the devil. It's a church that continually seeks to conform itself to
God's Word………..A healthy church is a congregation that increasingly reflects
God's character as his character has been revealed in his Word.” So live your life gospel centered and focused on
Christ, and......You will be
able to walk in holiness and flee sexual immorality. You will be
able to love your church family and the true gospel saturated churches around
the globe. You will be
able to aspire to live a life that is above reproach to those who are outside.
[People who desperately need Jesus Christ and His saving mercies.] This is Paul’s desire for you and me, according
to the God breathed words found in the bible.
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