Living to please God
The title of my message today is "Living to please God". I was reading
the New Testament book of 1 Thessalonians this week and the heading from
chapter four grabbed my attention. I think as Christians we should want to
live in a way that pleases God. Jesus gave His all for us and living the
right way is one of the ways we say thanks. It is a right response to the
actions of a loving God.
It is interesting that when you read through chapter 4, and in
particular verses 1-18, it naturally breaks into four paragraphs. These
natural breaks can be given four headings that give us a clue of what it
is to live in a way that pleases God. Today I will be reading from the
NIV.
Bible Reading
1 As for other matters, brothers and sisters, 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 your own body[a] in
a way that is holy and honorable, 5 not in passionate lust like the
pagans, who do not know God; 6 and that in this matter no one should wrong
or take advantage of a brother or sister.[b] The Lord will punish all
those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before. 7 For
God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. 8 Therefore,
anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God,
the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit.
9 Now about your love for one another we do not need to write to you,
for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. 10 And in
fact, you do love all of God’s family throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge
you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more,
11 and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind
your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, 12 so
that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will
not be dependent on anybody.
13 Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those
who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind,
who have no hope. 14 For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so
we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in
him. 15 According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still
alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not
precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will come
down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and
with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17
After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together
with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be
with the Lord forever. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these
words.
Message Points
As I said before there are four natural breaks in the text. I have
assigned four headings to them to help us break the text apart and give us
points we can remember and apply to our lives.
1. Live in purity
Verses 3-8 tell us that we should live a sanctified life (set apart for
God). It says we should avoid sexual immorality, be controlled and not
take advantage of our neighbours. Verse 7 tells us why. "For God did not
call us to be impure, but to live a holy life".
Holiness and living in purity is a ongoing theme in the Bible. One of
the main ways God describes Himself is Holy. Holiness is a quality of
perfection, sinlessness, and inability to sin that is possessed by God
alone. For us as Christians we are made holy in God's sight by the work of
Christ on the cross, but we are also called to live a holy life. 1 Peter
1:15 says, "But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you
do. " If you want to please God, aim to live right in all you do. It is a
right response for all He has done for us.
2. Show brotherly love
Verses 9-10 tell us the importance of brotherly love. It says that we
should try to love each other more and more. At the heart of brotherly
love is caring for others, helping them when in need and showing respect.
The idea or theme of Love on another is mnetioned many times in the
Bible. God tells us to love one another in 1 John 3:23, 2 John 1:5, and 1
John 4:7. 1 Peter 3:8 tells us to "live in harmony with one another; be
sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble". Love, be
caring, compassionate and humble. This is what God wants for us and what
is best. Jesus said that people will know we belong to Him because of our
love for one another. If you want to please God, then love one another.
3. Be a good testimony
Verses 11-12 talks about living a quiet life and minding your own
business. It also says that we should work with our hands so we are not
dependent of anyone. If we do these things we will earn the respect of
others and have a good reputation in our community.
I have heard it said that for many people our lives are the only Bibles
people will read. The way we live in an important testimony to those
around us. The Bible calls us to be salt and light in Matthew 5:13-16.
Simple things like having a positive and encouraging attitude and really
living out what we believe is at the heart of being salt and light.
Treating people with love and respect and then helping them when they are
in need makes a huge difference. A good testimony is all about really
loving God and really loving our neighbour. If you want to please God,
then be a good testimony.
4. Have hope
Verses 13-18 talks about Jesus return and those who have already died in
Christ. It says we should look forward to the future with hope and
expectation that we will be with the Lord forever. Verse 18 reminds us
that we should encourage each other with these words.
One of the great truths of Christianity is that Christ died for our
sins and on the third day He rose to life. Because of His resurrection we
have a great hope that we too will be raised to life when we die. As we
live in this sometimes chaotic, fallen and unfair world we need to have
hope. Knowing that Christ has gone to prepare a place for us and that He
is coming back for us gives us hope (John 14:3). We will be with Him
forever. We need to cling to this hope and encourage each other with these
words (v18).
Living to please God more and more
Just before I finish I want to draw your attention to one more thing.
The phrases found in verses 1 and 10. Verse 1 says, "Now we ask you and
urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more". In verse 10 it
says, "we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more".
The Greek word "Mallon" is used here in both verses for "more". It means
"more, much more, to a greater degree, better or in a greater way". Verse
1 is about growing and improving at living right and living to please God.
Verse 10 is about growing and improving in our love for one another. I
just found this really interesting. Paul didn't want the Thessalonians to
be content and feel like they have made it, but he wanted them to keep
striving to grow and improve in love and living right.
Closing
If you want to live a life that pleases God, this passage gives us four
things you can do.
1. Live in purity
2. Show brotherly love
3. Be a good testimony
4. Look forward to Christ's return with hope.
And also remember not to be content at where you are, but to continue to
grow in your faith, knowledge and purity. Really continue to live right in
a deeper way each day.
Let us pray.
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