We ask and encourage you in the Lord Jesus, that as you have received instruction from us on how you should live and please God – as you are doing – DO THIS EVEN MORE
I’ve been a competitor all my life – it was part of the nature of the house I was raised in – get better, do better, be better.
It can be a weight if abused, but it is still important. I’ve played sports, music, games, and I’ve coached, taught, and learned. But now, I’m getting old, well I AM old, but still learning. In golf, flyfishing, now running, I’m always trying to get better.
Paul writes the Thessalonians, perhaps his first letter, if not Galatians. They had made great progress, but had faced great opposition and persecution. He talks in 1 Thessalonians 4 about past, present, and future.
v1 – you received instruction… you are doing (it)
Then in vv13 and following, he says that we will die, or Jesus will come and v17 we will always be with the Lord… so v18 encourage one another with these words
Which Words? Is the encouragement just that Jesus is coming, and Heaven is our future? What about right now?
v1 do this even more
v3 God’s will… your sanctification… that you keep away from immorality
v4 control your own body holiness and honor
v6 – don’t take advantage of a brother or sister
v7 WHY? for God has not called us to impurity (Colossians 3:5 tells us to put do death the sinful nature
Paul is saying- we can’t say, “well that’s just the way I am” – NO. While we are all sinners short of God’s glory that isn’t an excuse.
Live in Holiness / Sanctification. The same word, hagiasmos – is used in v3 and v7 translated sanctification and holiness – But the word is used in different yet related forms.
v3 – hagiasmos is nominative meaning the subject and in v7 hagiasmos is dative the purpose of the action
God is shaping us, changing us, so that our “outside” be transformed to match our justified “inside”. Sanctification is the subject and holiness is the purpose.
I know that’s a deep water, but I just want us to think it through and let is ferment. In this process of the Holy Wine maturing, then Paul says…
v9 – brotherly love… and he stops and says I don’t have to teach you, you know that, God taught you that, to love one another… v10 you are doing it everywhere – Praise God…
BUT… we encourage you to do this EVEN MORE
So go back to v1 we ask and encourage you… how you should live… as you are doing… have done… DO THIS EVEN MORE
Coach Paul here says, “nice shot, good game, but let’s step it up.”
Make a mental list of good things you are doing in Christ right now. It’s ok, make a list, you believed, you learned, obeyed, served, worship, witness… what else are you doing? You aren’t bragging, just remembering…
That is GREAT – Praise God – That’s It…
NOW – do that EVEN MORE
Loved your neighbor – EVEN MORE
Forgave a brother – EVEN MORE
Fed the Hungry, Clothed the Naked, Visited the Sick / imprisoned – EVEN MORE
We need to be EVEN MORE people, because we come from an EVEN MORE God. We are part of an Even More Faily
Romans 5:15 says, the gift is not like the trespass… how much more… the grace of God and the gift… OVERFLOWED
Even More… not just life, but Abundant Life, Victorious Life, Eternal Life
Oh I don’t have time to preach this, but I love it this passage.
We need some Even MORE, Yes MORE Folks.
v12 Why? SO THAT you might behave properly in the presence of outsiders
Why? The World is watching and are on the outside of Grace. We want to invite them IN and want them to believe that IN is a Place for them to be.
Brag on God verbally – YES… but Brag on him in the Lifestyle Way we Live… that they might believe and Receive it for themselves.
