I Thessalonians 4:1-18

I Thessalonians 4:1-2 – “Excel still more.” Every church should want to mature to this point. They were not perfect, but were doing well and the next step was to grow.

I Thessalonians 4:3-8 – In Paul’s day, chastity was regarded as an unreasonable restriction. The phrase “possess his own vessel” has been debated for a long time. It could mean one’s own body or could be a reference to one’s wife. (Romans 6:13; I Corinthians 6:19-20; 7:2) The overall message is to abstain from sexual immorality.

• Job 31:1; Matthew 5:27 – We have to guard ourselves from sexual immorality.

• The idolatrous practices in those days involved sexual immorality, which was part of what made it so popular. These Christians had come out of these idolatrous practices.

I Thessalonians 4:8 – See Nehemiah 9:30; Acts 7:51-52; I Thessalonians 1:5; 2:2, 8-9, 13; 3:2; 4:1-2, 6, 11. The gospel was from God! The “Holy Spirit” here refers to the inspired message they had received and were receiving through Paul as a messenger.

I Thessalonians 4:9-10 – See Matthew 23:23; I Corinthians 13:1-3. It’s possible to follow every law precisely, but ultimately fail if you lack love. Verse 9 is an example of a figure of speech called paralipsis, in which emphasis is added by professing to say little about it. Compare other examples in Philemon 1:9; I Thessalonians 5:1.

I Thessalonians 4:11-12 – Compare II Thessalonians 3:11-12. Get to work!

I Thessalonians 4:13-18 – The dead in Christ will rise first, then those alive in Christ will meet him in the air. This should be a great comfort to us. This does not say that Jesus will come to earth (pre-millenialism). The doctrine of rapture comes from a misinterpretation of this verse. John 5:28-29

II Corinthians 7:4

Do I understand that I am personally guilty of sin?

• Children start out innocent. Acts 2:38; Luke 18:15

• But at some point, God starts holding us accountable for our sins.

  • Numbers 14:29; Deuteronomy 1:39 – Twenty was the cutoff age in the wilderness, but this is not a universal rule we see elsewhere in the Bible.

  • II Chronicles 34:3 – Josiah started serving God at age 16.

• Baptism is an appeal to God for a good conscience.

  • I Peter 3:21

  • Guilt à Baptism à Clean conscience

  • Acts 9:5-6, 9 – Saul realizes he is guilty.

  • Acts 22:16

• Notice how it’s personal.

  • Acts 2:23, 36

  • Acts 9:19

  • Acts 16:34

Do I know the good news?

• Matthew 28:18-20

• Acts 2:40-41

• Acts 8:12, 35

• The act of baptism is based on Jesus and His death.

• Romans 6:3

• We don’t have to know it all to be baptized. None of us do!

Am I convinced?

• Mark 16:15-16; Acts 8:12-13

• Acts 17:2-3, 11; 18:8 – People were reasoning through the scriptures and believing!

• Hebrews 11:6

• Romans 10:8

Am I prepared to start a new life?

• I must repent.

  • Acts 2:41; Ezekiel 18:30-32; Jonah 3:4-5, 8; Acts 26:20

  • Change of mind à change of life

• I must prepare to walk in newness of life.

  • Romans 6:3-4; Luke 14:26; II Corinthians 7:8-10

  • Repentance is lifelong!

Micah 1-7

Introduction

• Micah means “who is like Jehovah.”

• Micah was contemporary with Isaiah, which we can see by comparing the kings mentioned in both books.

• Micah primarily prophesied to the poor and downtrodden, from about 735 B.C.

God’s judgment on Samaria and Judah with a ray of hope for salvation for a remnant (Micah 1-3)

• Micah 3:2 – Truth is the most hated thing in the world!

Messianic hope (Micah 4-5)

• Micah 4:1-3 – Compare Isaiah 2:2-4.

• Micah 4:3-5 – God’s kingdom would be peaceful, not defended with carnal weapons. II Corinthians 10:4-5

• Micah 4:4 – Christians have more power than Satan. We can resist him!

• Micah 5:2 – Jesus would come out of Bethlehem and be eternal (deity – see John 1:1).

• Micah 5:7-9 – We should be as dew from the Lord, like showers on the grass. This is referring to the positive influence the righteous should have on those around them.

• Micah 5:8 – See Proverbs 28:1. The righteous will be bold like a lion, standing in truth. II Corinthians 10:4-5.

God has a controversy with Israel (Micah 6)

• Micah 6:1-5 – Israel had no gratitude for God’s blessings.

• Micah 6:6-8 – It is possible to do the right things in worship and still not be saved. God wants a right life, not ritual.

Penitent prays and the divine promise (Micah 7)

• Micah 7:1-6 – Confession of the people’s guilt.

• Micah 7:14 – Prayer for God’s blessings.

• Micah 7:15 – God would show them marvelous things!

• Micah 7:16 – Nations will be confounded at the might of the righteous. Proverbs 28:1; II Corinthians 10:4-5

• Micah 7:18-20 – God delights in mercy and will pardon iniquity. Hebrews 8:12

Lessons for us:

• God requires us to live righteously. We must be merciful and walk humbly with God.

• The holiness of God and righteousness of God must be stressed today.

• Ritualistic keeping of commandments is not sufficient for salvation.

Next up: Zephaniah

I Thessalonians 3:1-13

I Thessalonians 3:1-5 – This is still needed today: older Christians encouraging new Christians. Timothy is a good example of how we can each take on different roles and help the cause of Christ. I Corinthians 3:5-6

I Thessalonians 3:6-8 – Paul was connected to the Thessalonians. He rejoiced and grieved with them (3 John 1:3-4). Are we connected to others like this and concerned for their souls?

I Thessalonians 3:9-13 – Paul wanted them to be complete. They had a good start, but there was more for them to do. II Peter 1:5-11; Luke 18:18-23. Spiritual growth is about forsaking that one hardest sin you struggle with!

• Acts 15:36

• Is the Bible setting us up for failure? Can we ever reach the standard God sets?

  • Psalms 130:3-4; I Thessalonians 4:1, 10, 18; 5:8; I John 1:6-9; Revelation 2:4-5

  • It’s not about being perfect! It’s about striving to grow closer to God. Jesus blood makes us perfect.

I Thessalonians 4:1

Leaving our first love

• Ephesus timeline

  • Paul’s second journey: Acts 18:19-21

  • Paul’s third journey: Acts 19

  • Paul’s farewell: Acts 20 (trouble brewing)

  • Paul’s letter: Ephesians

    • Ephesians 4:31-32

  • Timothy in Ephesus: I Timothy, II Timothy

    • I Timothy 1:3-4; II Timothy 2:17-18

  • John’s letter: Revelation 2:1-7 (left first love)

• The church in Ephesus started so strong and had years of teaching from both Paul and Timothy, but they still left their first love! If it can happen in Ephesus, it can happen anywhere!

• John 14:15-23

• I John 5:3

• I Corinthians 13:3

• Acts 19:10 – Ephesus was the center of the gospel in Asia at one time!

• Acts 20:36-37 – What happened to this passion?

Forming cliques (Galatians 3:27-28)

• Possible cliques:

  • More money; less money

  • College students; non-students

  • Florida College; non-Florida College

  • Members; visitors

  • Older folks; younger families with kids

• Acts 11:19-20, 26, 29

• Matthew 13:53-58 vs Acts 2:9, 46-47 – They were unified spiritually despite their different backgrounds!

• Romans 12:10, 16

• There is no reason for any of these cliques!