1 THESSALONIANS 4:9-122007 Teaching by Jerry B Simmons

Teaching Transcript: 1 Thessalonians 4:9-12

You are listening to FerventWord, an online Bible study ministry with teachings and tools to help you grow deeper in your relationship with God. The following message was taught by Jerry Simmons in 2007. A short portion of scripture I know this morning, but some important things that God wants to speak to us. This morning as Paul is writing to the Thessalonians, we learn that the Christian life is more than how you act at church.

Paul is explaining to the Thessalonians that it's more than just how you behave around other believers and the way that you relate to one another within the body of Christ. There's more to Christianity. There's more to a walk with God. There's more to following Christ in your life than just what takes place on this property or whenever you're around other believers as a gathering or fellowship, whatever the case may be.

But there's also the importance of taking care, taking heed to how you walk, how you behave, the way that you live outside of these walls and around those who are not believers, around those who do not know the good news of Jesus Christ.

The things we're looking at today are things that the Thessalonians apparently had an issue with. This was one of their weaker areas, we might say.

Now, every one of us has strong areas and weak areas, and every body has strong areas and weak areas. And so we're strong and weak individually and corporately. And this was one of the areas that really the Thessalonians had a struggle with in the way that they related to one another outside of the body of Christ, the way that they presented the gospel in their lives to the world around them.

Today, as Paul is dealing with this weak area, we know it's a weak area because he explains to them, look, some of the things that I'm writing to you about, you don't really need to hear. But these things are things that you need to hear and take heed to.

He also mentions that he had already commanded these things when he was with them. And so he taught it while he was there for that three weeks he was in Thessalonica. He leaves, he writes this letter and reminds them of those same three things. And then as we'll go on into second Thessalonians in the coming weeks, we'll find that again, Paul writes to them dealing with these same issues.

First, he encourages them in their strength, which is love. We find that in verse nine in the first part of verse 10. But then he'll go on to encourage them in four areas that we'll look at and be challenged with this morning. Number one, increase more and more in love. Number two, lead a quiet life.

Number three, mind your own business. And number four, work with your own hands. And so we start off verse nine and the first part of verse 10 says this. 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. And indeed, you do so toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia.

We've seen many times now in this book, Paul share with them about their love.

It was one of the marks that gave Paul relief. In chapter 1, he says, I know God works because when I was there, I saw it and I remember now your labor of love, your work of faith and your patience of hope. But love was one of those key areas that Paul said, this was the proof that you truly had a work of God in your midst, in your heart, that you had been born again because you had faith, love and hope.

And he's been speaking about that over and over again. He sends Timothy because he's worried about them with the persecution and trouble, not having much time to lay a foundation with them. And he comes back with the report. Timothy does. Hey, Paul, they have love. You can rest assured they're walking strong. They're continuing on in the faith. And it's proven by their love for one another.

It is definite. There is a work going on because love is not something natural. It's something supernatural when it's the kind of love that we're talking about that God has towards us and he calls to have calls us to have towards others. He knew that they were walking with God because they had faith, love and hope. It was one of their strong points, one of the proofs of God being at work.

The Thessalonians were strong in this area. Paul says here in verse 9, Hey, you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God. It was something that God taught them. It wasn't something that Paul taught them. It wasn't something that Timothy instructed them in. It was something that God had taught them as they began a walk with Jesus Christ. They had learned from God to love one another. It was an area that he had supernaturally blessed them in.

But notice how Paul begins the verse there in verse nine. He begins it with a contrast with the word, but he's setting this issue, their strength, the area of love is.

In contrast to the preceding verses, what we studied last week, as well as the next few verses we'll be studying this morning. This was their strength. And Paul says concerning brotherly love, Philadelphia, you don't need me to write to you. This is a strength. This is an area where you're really doing well. You're taught by God to love one another. It's not really a necessity for you.

for me to instruct you in this because you've already learned it from the Lord. But the implication there, of course, is, okay, you don't need me to write to you about this, but you do need me to write to you

About the things we studied last week. They did need Paul to write to them about sanctification. That they would abstain from sexual immorality. That they would possess their own vessel in sanctification and honor. That they would not defraud their brother in any matter. They needed those things. Just like you and I, as we studied that last week. We needed to hear those things. And probably...

A lot of times we still need to hear those things and be instructed in those areas. There are weaknesses in our lives and in our hearts, and we need to be on our guard to be obedient in those areas. They were lessons that they needed to hear. And as we continue on in verses 10, 11, and 12, we learn even more lessons that they needed to hear that we get to kind of sit in on to hear what the Lord wants to speak to us this morning as well.

Paul says, you don't need me to write to you about how to relate to one another within the body of Christ. You already have Philadelphia, brotherly love. You already been taught by God to agape one another. You have great relationships between believers, brothers and sisters in the Lord within the body of Christ. Not just there, but in all of Macedonia, the whole surrounding region.

You've learned and you know how to love one another and relate to one another within the body of Christ. But the issue that Paul is dealing with specifically here in verses 9 through 12 is how they relate to the people outside of the body of Christ. He says that in verse 12, this is the goal and the object of all of his exhortation this morning, that you may walk properly toward those who are outside.

His focus, as he's encouraging the Thessalonians in those four areas, is so that they would learn to walk well. They would learn to relate properly and live decently.

With the people around them, with the people who are not part of the church, with the people that they worked with or their neighbors or their family that were not believers. It was specifically relating to those outside of the body of Christ. Now, in your life, there may be some areas that you are taught by God, like the Thessalonians and brotherly love and agape. They didn't need a conference for that. God had put it into their hearts.

But also, like the Thessalonians, there are areas in our lives that we need to change. There's areas in our lives that we need to work on. And perhaps for you, it's much like the Thessalonians. You do well here within the body. You do well on the phone with other believers. You do well in the midst of other Christians. But it's outside of those relationships that God wants to speak to you.

For the Thessalonians, they needed to change the way that they lived outside of the church. Some lessons are taught by God. That's what the Thessalonians experienced. The love had been taught to them by God. He had supernaturally put it into their heart. He had spoken to them about it.

It was something that, in a sense, came naturally to them because God had already taught them the lesson by his spirit. It's the fruit of the spirit. Some lessons are taught by God. Other lessons are learned by obedience.

And that's what we'll be looking at this morning. The areas where Paul is commanding them. They're not lessons they've learned yet. They need to learn them by obedience. They're not going to wake up tomorrow and just have them fixed all of a sudden. But as they take steps to be obedient, as they're obedient to the commands that Paul has given, they will learn these lessons of God.

Let's look at them. The four things Paul encourages them. The first one we find at the end of verse 10. Paul says, but we urge you, brethren, that you increase more and more.

He's finished talking to them about what they're really good at. Love. Hey, you're great at it. You do it well. You love each other. You love all the brethren in Macedonia. But here's what we urge you to do. Here's what we encourage you to do. Here's what we exhort you to do. Number one, increase more and more specifically in love. Now, we've been looking at this idea for the past couple of weeks because Paul's used similar language in the last two portions of scriptures.

The importance of you and I as believers in Jesus Christ continuing to grow. We never get to a place where we can just kind of kick back and say, hey, I've arrived. I've gotten rid of enough sin. I've dealt with enough issues and I can just coast, you know, until Christ comes back.

No, what Paul is telling us the last couple of weeks and again this morning is you need to increase more and more. You need to be continuing to grow. You need to be drawing closer and developing these characteristics. It's a strong point for you.

But it doesn't mean that you're finished in that area. God still has much more to do. And as I shared before, it's not like, okay, yeah, God has, you know, that just that you're really good. He just has a little bit of area. No, no, no, no. If you think that you don't know yourself very well. No, you're good in that area. But there's so much more that you need to learn, just like the rest of us. Yes, even our strong points are.

Those areas we need to grow in and be strengthened in and become more and more like Christ. You and I do not stop growing in our Christian walk. If we do, it leads to being in a very dangerous position. Even in the areas where strong, we need to grow.

Again, the Thessalonians were taught by God to love. Timothy had reported to Paul about their love. Paul remembered his love from when he was there. It was something that they were good at. But Paul says, increase more and more. This word increase, it means to exceed a fixed number or measure. It's the idea of overflowing or abounding. It's going beyond what can be measured. He says, increase in love.

Not in ways that can be measured, but beyond measure. The phrase more and more, it's one word in the Greek. It means by far, more readily, willingly. He's saying, look, you need to increase beyond a fixed measure, beyond an ability to calculate how much it is. Willingly, eagerly, by far. It's not a very laid back type of growth. You know, like, yeah,

If I think really hard, I think I have grown this year. You know, because I remember this one instance or a couple examples. Now, Paul's saying, look, this is radical growth that I need you to be having take place in your life. You need to be radically changing. There needs to be more instances than you can count. There needs to be more increment than you can calculate. By far, be more willing to love beyond measure. Now, sometimes...

The question is asked, do I really have to love this person? There's this particular person in my life and man, do I really have to love this person? Well, that's not increasing more and more in love.

No, the attitude of increasing more and more in love is who else can I love? Everybody else I know in my life, I'm already showering them with so much love they can't handle it. I need someone else. Give me someone else to love. Give me someone else to pour my life into. Show me more ways to give myself for them. That's the attitude here. Paul says, increase, exceed beyond measure, more and more willingly, by far in love.

Go forward, radically grow in loving one another. In 1 John 3, verse 18, John says, My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.

To radically grow in love is not to just say, I love you a whole lot more. I love you, I love you, I love you. I radically grew. No, that's not radical growth. He says, let's not love in word or in tongue. It's not about our words, it's not about our tongue, but in deed and in truth. It's an action that needs to take place. Are there countless examples of

Of your love for others by the actions that you take. Is there too many to count? Is it beyond measure? Maybe you are strong in love. Maybe it's more of a struggle for you to love.

Wherever you stand in this area, the exhortation to all of us is the same. Increase more and more in love. Don't be satisfied with how much you love the people around you right now. Seek earnestly to love them more. Seek earnestly for others to love. That's really what Jesus did.

Remember what John said at the end of his gospel, John 21, 25? He says, Jesus, who lived a life of love, exceeded beyond measure. John says,

He did a lot of other things because if I wrote them down one by one, the world would not be able to contain the books. That blows my mind because Jesus was fully active and loving others continually, giving himself selflessly so much so that if it had been recorded, all that he did, that we'd be gasping for breath.

40,000 feet in the air with a pile of books under us with all the things that he had done, recording all the ways that he loved the people around him and you and I. That is the type of love that we're called to have. That if it were to be written down one by one, we couldn't keep track of it. It'd be too massive. It'd be like, you know, a 25 volume encyclopedia set of the love that you have for those around you.

That's the idea that Paul is illustrating here. He says, you're good, you're strong in this area, but increase more and more. Willingly love beyond measure like Jesus did. It's so important for us to continue to grow in love. As we go on, Paul deals with the next three things. They're all found in verse 11, which says this.

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. In addition to increasing more and more in love, Paul says, hey, you also need to be aggressive in these areas. That word aspire, he says that you also aspire to, and then he goes on to list those three things. That word aspire means to be ambitious or to strive earnestly.

Be ambitious in these areas, Paul says. Strive earnestly, go forward, full steam ahead in these three things. Again, Paul is not talking about casual growth and a casual approach to obeying these commands and fulfilling these things. He says, be ambitious, strive earnestly, work very hard to accomplish these things.

Now, Paul is not just exaggerating. He's not just wasting words. These exhortations were necessary for them and they needed to take heed and to be aggressive and be ambitious in being obedient to these things.

Because again, in 2 Thessalonians chapter 3, he deals with these same issues because they had not, some of them, had not been aggressive in dealing with these issues. They'd been slack and lazy in these three things. And so again, later when Paul writes to them, he has to deal with those same three things.

Second Thessalonians 3.11 says, I'll actually turn there real quick with me. It's just a couple pages. Second Thessalonians chapter 3 verse 11. It says this, For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busy bodies. Three areas, Paul says. Here's what we hear. There's some among you who are walking in a disorderly manner.

There's some among you who are not working at all. And there's some among you who are busy bodies. These three same issues. In 1 Thessalonians 4, verse 11, Paul tells them to lead a quiet life.

As opposed to walking disorderly that we find here in 2 Thessalonians 3.11. He tells them to mind their own business as opposed to being a busybody here in 2 Thessalonians 3.11. He tells them to work with their own hands as opposed to not working at all, which we find here in 2 Thessalonians 3.11. See, God doesn't waste words on us.

Paul was writing to them these three things and the same three things that he's dealing with later because some of them did not take heed. Some of them did not listen. Just like many times when God speaks to us, there's some of us that hear, there's some of us that take heed, there's some of us that obey, and there's some of us that disregard as a message for someone else or we're fine in that area. Hey, even if you're strong in that area, that's the point. Even if that's your strength,

Take heed lest you fall. Even if that's your strength, increase more and more. Strive forward. Be ambitious in these areas that Paul will be dealing with. They're important for each and every one of us. We're to aspire to do these things. Again, Paul is not just exaggerating and being dramatic. It's not a reality show.

He's not using words unnecessarily. He is making a point because these are things we need to follow. Some of them still had not heeded. Some of them still had not obeyed. Don't let that be your case, your scenario. As you hear the word of God, be it this morning or any other morning, take heed to what God speaks to you. Take heed to what's given forth through the word and be aggressive. Be ambitious to fulfill it.

Lead a quiet life. Don't walk in a disorderly manner. Mind your own business. Don't be a busybody. Work with your own hands. Don't be lazy not working at all. Let's go back to 1 Thessalonians 4.

And we're looking at the second exhortation. Number one, increase more and more in love. Number two, here in 1 Thessalonians 4.11, he says that you also aspire to lead a quiet life. That's number two. Lead a quiet life. What does it mean to lead a quiet life? Well, again, looking at 2 Thessalonians 3.11, I'll be referring to that a lot in the next couple of moments.

We learn a little bit about what it doesn't mean. As Paul says, hey, some are walking disorderly. Some are walking out of order. Their life is out of control. I like Webster's definition of disorderly. He defines it as offensive to public order.

It's offensive to public order. Some people are walking in a way that's offensive to the regular order of society, to the order of the people around them. This is someone who's always causing trouble, who's disruptive, who's loud and obnoxious. This word lead a quiet life. Again, it's one word in the Greek. It means to keep quiet, to be silent, to hold one's peace. And so we'll just finish our remaining time in silence. I'm just kidding.

It's used, I'll give you an illustration of how it's used in Acts chapter 21, verse 14, as Paul is headed to Jerusalem and the disciples are hearing reports from prophets saying, hey, when Paul goes there, he's going to be beaten, he's going to be bound and turned over to the Romans. And so the disciples,

And disciples and the people around Paul are encouraging him, hey, don't go to Jerusalem. Don't head that way. Listen to these guys. There's trouble there for you. You're going to be beaten. You're going to be bound. There's problems ahead. And Paul says, hey, why are you guys bothering me? I'm willing to die for Christ. I'm going. The Lord has told me to go. And in Acts 21, 14, it says, so when he would not be persuaded, we ceased saying the will of the Lord be done. That word we ceased.

is the same word that Paul uses here to lead a quiet life. It's not never say anything, but it's knowing when to be silent.

Hey, we shared with them our concerns. We shared with them what was going on. He's convinced the Lord has told them to go. And so we held our peace and we said, hey, the Lord's will be done. The Lord will take care of it. He's in the Lord hands. We did our best to share with them and encourage them. But we're not going to continue to press the matter to the point of being disorderly. We're not going to cause big problems here. We're just going to stop and allow the Lord to do his work.

Paul is not saying to never say anything or stand up for what is right, but he is saying, know when to be quiet and hold your peace. Don't be a noisy, destructive troublemaker. Lead a quiet life. Now, I think this is interesting coming from Paul. You know, Paul, everywhere he went, almost every city, there was riots. He was driven out of the city. He was driven out of the city.

In fact, people from the cities that he just left followed him to help the riot to the next city and help drive him out of the next city. But what's important to note about that is it's not because Paul was out being disruptive. He wasn't out, you know, when the idol makers got upset with Paul. It wasn't because Paul was out front, you know, with a sign saying, hey, we're out.

I just forgot the word. What's that word? Boycotting. We're boycotting the idol makers. Nobody come get idols. We're boycotting them. He wasn't out marching and protesting against the city officials or against this or against that. He was preaching the gospel to be sure, but he wasn't being disruptive and causing problems. No, instead he

They, the other people, the Jews who are upset, the people who are making idols, the others who are against the gospel message, they were upset. They were protesting. They were marching against Paul and the message of the cross. It wasn't that Paul was out causing a lot of trouble. He was simply preaching the gospel in an orderly fashion, not in a disorderly fashion.

He was leading a quiet life, fulfilling his mission, sharing the gospel, making disciples. And as a result, people were getting saved. People's lives were getting changed. They weren't buying idols anymore, not because they had a big campaign against him, but just it was the work of God. And as a result, everybody else got incensed and riled up against the Apostle Paul and the message of the cross. Of course, you know, the work of the enemy is involved there as well, because he hates the work of the cross, the message of the cross.

And so it's not that nothing can ever happen around you. Sometimes there will be disruptions, but not because you're disorderly, but because people are offended by the message of the cross, because they're offended by the work of God in your life. To lead a quiet life is to know when to be quiet, when to hold your peace, not just out to cause trouble or stir up strife. It means that your voice does not always have to be the loudest. It means that your opinion does not always have to be heard.

Remember, in these three areas, Paul is specifically dealing with how we relate to those outside of the church. And so how do you relate to those outside of the church? At your workplace, are you the troublemaker? Are you the disorderly, disruptive one causing problems? Are you your boss's biggest headache?

Because you're walking disorderly or within your family. Are you stirring up strife? Do you cause problems? Do you cause division? Do you disrupt the family life? How about with your friends? Or how about when you're at the mall or the grocery store? We could add on to the list. You get the point. How do you relate to those around you? Are you leading a quiet life?

Walking in an orderly fashion, sharing the gospel, preaching the word, fulfilling your ministry, but not in a disorderly fashion, not causing problems everywhere you go, not being loud and obnoxious. Romans chapter 12, verse 18, Paul tells the Romans, if it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.

That's all men. That's not just within the body of Christ. That's what the people that offend you, that are out to get you. That's what the people that you don't like or that are trying to get ahead of you in the workplace or wherever. Live peaceably with all men as much as it depends on you, Paul says. Do whatever you need to do. Live peaceably with the others around you.

Live peaceably with your neighbors and family and coworkers. Live peaceably with your boss, with those who are under your responsibility. Live peaceably. Walk orderly. Lead a quiet life. Now, sometimes Christians will walk disorderly and blame it on the gospel message. They have the mentality, hey, we can be loud and obnoxious and just kind of blame it on the gospel message.

Greg Laurie has lots of good illustrations about that. People sharing the gospel and people getting offended. But it's not because of the gospel message. It's because of the way they present it. It's because they throw rocks at them with, you know, tracks rubber banded around them. And that's not a very orderly way, right way to share the gospel message.

To yell at people and get in their face, that's not an orderly way to share the gospel message. No, they're not being persecuted because of the gospel. They're being persecuted because they're disorderly, loud and obnoxious. We can be offensive and cause strife and just blame it on the gospel, you know? Well, I'm just blunt. I just tell it like it is because that's, you know, the truth. That's what the word says. And everybody's feelings are hurt. There's just massive confusion and hysteria behind you. But, hey, I told them the truth. No, live peaceably.

Lead a quiet life. Don't cause many disruptions and disturbances. That's not what God has called you to do. You live your life and be the example. And that will be waves enough. You don't have to cause your own or make your own. There's enough as a result of a life that's lived in obedience to the word of God.

As much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Don't be a noisy, disruptive troublemaker. Think about Jesus. People were offended by Jesus's message, but not by Jesus himself. He didn't go around just trying to make people upset or win a debate or argument. He shared the truth in love. And yes, people got upset and people hated him. In fact, they crucified him.

But not because he gave them any justice in doing so. Any right to do so. It's not because he had violated them or yelled at them or got in their face and jumped all over them. It wasn't because he was constantly in them, you know, irritating and annoying them. No, he was simply doing what he was called to do.

Sharing the love of God, sharing the gospel message, telling people to repent from sin. That's what God called him to do. It was a role God called him to fulfill. And people were offended by that, but he led a quiet life. Remember Matthew 5, 16, let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father in heaven. You can lead a quiet life.

Cause people to glorify God you don't have to be loud. You don't have to be unruly You don't have to be obnoxious. You don't have to make sure that everybody's attention is on you. You can do it simply How does he say that they may see your good works your good works? Not your convincing arguments not your wild debates not all of your objections in the meetings But your good works the way that you live

the way that you obey, and they'll glorify your Father in heaven. You know, within a family, 2 Peter deals with this. You know, when there's a believing spouse and an unbelieving spouse, he says, hey, live well, that your spouse may be one to Christ without words. It doesn't take words. Words are not the most important thing. Live your life. Live well. Live in obedience to God. Actions speak louder than words.

So the first thing he tells us, well, it's really the second point. Number one, increase more and more in love. Number two, lead a quiet life. Number three, mind your own business. Mind your own business. Now, this unfortunately can be one of the big issues within a church. Again, as Paul said in 2 Thessalonians 3.11, we hear that some among you are busybodies.

That word busybody, it means to bustle about uselessly. It's used of a person who is overbearingly inquisitive about the affairs of others. Demanding, I got to know. Always wanting to be in the know. If you know more about everybody else's life than they do, that's a bad thing.

If you know why he said that and who said this to who and all of those things, if you're involved in the business of others, that's a bad thing. It's a busy body. Paul says, mind your own business. Don't be a busy body. The Bible has much to say about this area. Being a busy body, going along with gossip and slander and backbiting, it all goes together.

And yet, even though the Bible has so much to say about it, there's always, and I emphasize that, always so much of it happening within the church, within the body of Christ. I'm not talking about you guys, as Gail Irwin would say. I'm talking about Second Service. They're the ones, man. Hey, within the body, within our body, everywhere you go where there's Christians, you will find busybodies, gossip and slander, backbiting.

Sometimes you'll be the victim of it. Sometimes you'll participate in it. Sometimes you'll just hear about it. But it is there. There's been so many ministries that have been ruined. Reputations, ministers, pastors, families that have been shattered by busybodies, gossiping, slandering, and backbiting. Whether it be within the church or outside of the church, Paul says, mind your own business.

Learn these initials. MYOB. What does it stand for? MYOB. What does it stand for? Come on, a little bit. It says aspire, be ambitious to learn these things. Let's hear some ambition there. MYOB. What does it stand for?

There you go. Mind your own business. This is something that the church needs to learn. Christians, we need to learn. Mind your own business. Don't be involved in other people's business and their problems and situations. Mind your own business. When your curiosity is stirred and there's conversations going on around you, it's like, ooh, are they talking about me? What are they talking about? What's going on? Who did what to whom? And why are they...

Mind your own business when you're thirsting to know what's going on. Mind your own business when someone says, hey, I want to share with something about you. No, I want to share something with you about so and so, so that you can pray for them. No, mind your own business. That's our role within the body of Christ.

God says, look, you have enough to deal with with your own life and problems and situations. Mind your own business. Be ambitious in these areas. Work on these things. Increase more and more. You don't have time to fix everybody else. It's like Jesus said, hey, when you see that speck in your brother's eye, before you try to take it upon yourself to go help that person, you might want to look in the mirror and check out the plank in your own eye.

There's lots more that God still needs to do in you before you can help them in the areas that they need it. God says, mind your own business. Don't be caught up in the business of everyone else. Now, there are occasions where things do need to be discussed. Situations need to be addressed in relationships or things that take place. But you know, the Bible has very clear instructions for those scenarios. I would encourage you, I would challenge you to learn them.

So that you can learn properly to mind your own business. Learn them so that when others try to involve you, then you'll know the biblical model, the biblical instruction that you may respond appropriately. Matthew 18, 15 through 20. Jesus gives us the model. Hey, what do you do when someone sins against you?

There's three steps. I would challenge you, find out what they are. Because this model is not typically followed. The first thing usually, when someone offends us, we tell someone else.

You have to go tell someone, I can't believe, can you believe what he did to me? Can you believe she sold me this and it was only worth this or whatever? Can you believe? I want to share with you. I can't. You shouldn't talk to them. You know what they did to me? You know, the first thing we do very often is we go to someone else and just spread the sickness.

But Matthew 18, 15 through 20 outlines very clearly, what do you do when someone sins against you? You go to that person, you deal with it just between you and them. If that doesn't work, well, find out the rest. Read Matthew 18, 15 through 20. Specifically, Paul deals with it with Timothy in 1 Timothy 5, 19. If it's an issue with an elder, with a leader within the body or a leader within someone around you,

He says, do not receive an accusation against an elder except from two or three witnesses. He says, look, you're not even to receive it. Don't even listen to it unless there's two or three people that are witnesses to that thing. Don't just listen to everything that comes around. Mind your own business. Don't be involved in all the gossip and slander and backbiting. You don't have to find out what they're saying about you. You don't have to find out what they're saying about everybody else. You don't have to tell anybody anything about anybody. Mind your own business.

Don't gossip and slander. Don't involve yourself in the business of others. M-Y-O-B. What does it mean? 1 Timothy 4.15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people's matters. I like how he puts it in there. Along with a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, and a busybody. It's serious. The Lord deals with it on the same level as murder. So don't do it.

Fourth instruction or exhortation from Paul, the last part of verse 11, 1 Thessalonians 4. He says, work with your own hands. Work with your own hands. Here at the end, Paul says, look, what you need to do is you need to get to work. Now, again, in 2 Thessalonians 3.11, he says, hey, we've heard some among you are not working at all. They're not working. They're not laboring. And it's not good.

Some became Christians, learned how well the church loved and cared for one another since that was their strength, and so they became great mooch artists. You familiar with those guys? It's the college age group in the fellowship. Don't you remember the Thanksgiving service? Every college guy, I want to thank Catalina for feeding me, and I want to thank so-and-so for feeding me, and I want to thank so-and-so for inviting me over for dinner all the time. The mooch artists.

Paul says, look, get to work. Work with your own hands. Now, there may be some reason for this, some explanation for this. Many believe...

I'm talking about the Thessalonians now. Many believe that the reason that they were not working is because they expected Jesus Christ to come back at any moment. That was one of the things that Paul shared with them, the return of Jesus Christ, the hope of his soon return. They had some confusion about that we'll deal with next week and even into 2 Thessalonians. But they were expecting Jesus Christ to come back. And so some think, well, they probably had the attitude like, what's the point of working?

You know, people are quitting their jobs or jumping out of school. What's the point? I remember my father sharing that with me when back when he became a believer back in the late 80s. There was a big focus again on the return of Jesus Christ. And he was struggling with thoughts like, why should I keep going to school? Why should I keep working? Jesus Christ is coming back. And so that is possibly the attitude that was going on that, hey, why keep working? What's the worth in that?

and investing, you know, for the rest of our lives when we just have a short time left. Jesus is coming back soon anyways. And so they weren't involved in working with their own hands. Now, whether it was that or not, we don't know for sure. It might have just been that people were like lazy, you know, the hippie like mentality of the time. Like, hey, you know, just kind of

Mooch off the land, live off the land, kind of get by with what I can get by. Oh, you want to give me something great? It might have just been a lazy attitude that was among the Thessalonians. But Paul is clear. He says, look, we commanded this to you while we were there. We're sharing it with you now. And he'll again share it with them. In 2 Thessalonians, it was an issue that needed to be dealt with. Paul says, it's not good. Hey, it's nice that people are willing to help you and provide for you. But you should not live expecting others to support you.

Get to work. Work with your own hands. 2 Thessalonians 3.10. It's kind of a famous verse. You might not know it's a verse. But Paul says, For even when we were with you, we commanded you this, If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. If you won't work, you won't eat. Paul says that's the command we had when we lived or when we were with you. And it's the same command that should be today. Look, if they're not working, if they're not willing to labor with their hands, don't feed them, Paul says.

If you're not willing to work with your hands, don't expect to be fed. If a man won't work, neither shall he eat. This is especially important when we're talking about how we relate to others outside of the church. You know, there's a lot of employers who do not like to hire people who call themselves Christians because they've found them to be lazy and troublemakers and stubborn. They don't like to work with their own hands. They're reluctant to be involved in manual labor.

What would your boss or employer say if we asked them? Would they say that you're a hard worker or that you need to get to work? Paul says, work with your own hands. Be a good laborer. Work hard. He ends verse 11 by saying, as we commanded you. Again, these are commands that Paul gave to them while he was there. Yet they're things they still needed to hear as he writes this letter.

And things they still needed to hear as he writes the next letter, 2 Thessalonians. They were issues. Love, they're really strong in. Paul says, it's great. I rejoice every time I remember your labor of love. But there's a weakness. And so he urges them and exhorts them, encourages them to increase more and more in love.

But then to not be a noisy, disruptive troublemaker, instead lead a quiet life. He says, don't gossip and slander. Don't involve yourself in the business of others. Mind your own business. He says, don't mooch off others. Don't be lazy in the workplace. Work hard with your own hands as we commanded you. Again, some lessons are taught by God. Other lessons are learned by obedience.

There's not necessarily an easy way for you to learn these things. There's not necessarily an easy way that it's just all going to happen for you. And you're like, whoa, I just discovered I'm a hard worker. That's cool. No, you do that by working hard, by making the choice. Don't be a busy body. Not because all of a sudden you wake up and, hey, I'm not interested in everybody's business anymore. No, because you make a conscious decision, according to the Word of God, to mind your own business.

To be obedient to the word of God. You have the spirit. You're complete in Christ. You have everything you need to be obedient to these things. You just need to walk in it and be obedient. To increase more and more. To be ambitious and aggressive in leading a quiet life. In minding your own business and working with your own hands.

We finish it off in verse 12. Paul says that you may walk properly toward those who are outside and that you may lack nothing. Here's the result. Here's the goal. Here's the objective with these commands that Paul is given. That you may walk properly toward those who are outside and that you may lack nothing. It's important that you work with your own hands. It's important that you follow these principles so that you can provide for yourself and even learn to give to others who are in need.

But the focus, the emphasis is that you may walk properly toward those who are outside. Because when you do these things and live this way, you will be a good witness to those outside of the church and you will not lack anything. The issue here is the reputation of Jesus Christ. The issue is how well do you represent him?

Paul saying, look, love you guys. You're doing great. You love within the body. You love all of Macedonia and all the brethren that you come in contact with. It's great. It's awesome. Continue to increase. But here's here's a really big issue, guys. You're not really being good witnesses to those who are outside. You're not really shining the light of Christ to those who are outside of the body. People are looking at you and thinking, I don't want to be a part of that.

Look at the way that they talk about each other. Look at the way that they just don't have anything and they're lazy and they won't work and they're reluctant to change and they always cause problems and disruptions and walking in a disorderly fashion. I don't want to be a part of that. Paul says, no, that's not how it should be. You're not walking properly towards those who are outside of the faith. You need to live life well that those around you might see the gospel message.

I like what William Barclay wrote regarding this verse. He says,

William Barclay says, look, you are the witness. You represent. You're the ambassador. And when people around you learn that because of your walk with God, you work harder, that you're more faithful and trustworthy as a friend, that you're kinder and gentler. When the world sees this, when they see your good works, they glorify your Father in heaven, Matthew 5.16.

It's by the way that you live in front of them. People always call a pastor's perspective. You know, I have this friend and this neighbor, and I want to know how to witness to them really well. And the encouragement is always the same. Hey, share with them the love of Christ. Once you've shared with them where you stand and what the Bible says, you don't have to keep piling that on and shoving it down their throat. Just share with them and then live a wonderful witness in front of them. Let them see.

The love that you talk about that comes from God, the joy, the peace, the patience, the kindness. Let them see how it transforms your life. Let them see how you walk. And that's the best witness. It's not a convincing argument. It's not, you know, these right words that will convince the person to come to the Lord. No, your witness is the way that you live, Paul says. Do these things that you may walk properly towards those who are outside,

Towards those who do not know the Lord. It's so important. Paul says increase more and more in love. Lead a quiet life. Mind your own business and work with your own hands. It's what you need to do. It's what I need to do. And it's an act of obedience. Some lessons are taught by God. He's worked within us certain areas. But others are learned by obedience. Will you be obedient?

To what God has spoken this morning. As we close the service. Now we come to the communion table. And if I could have the ushers come forward. And the worship leaders come forward. To prepare for communion. I want to challenge you and encourage you. Communion is a time where we remember what Christ did for us. First John tells us that we love because he first loved us.

The obedience to these commands that Paul gives, the ability for us to be a witness to others, it can't be done with just our determination. It can't be done because we are really trying hard. These things take place as a result of our fully embracing the cross of Christ. It's important for us to remember this.

He died on the cross. He took care of our sin. His blood was shed and that's what the cup represents. But also his body was broken and that's the bread. His blood was shed for the remission of sins. His body was broken that we would know that our bondage to sin, the chains that held us, they've been broken. It's a glorious time, this time of communion.

to remember his forgiveness, his grace, his mercy, and also to remember the freedom that he has set us free and by his death, burial, and resurrection has given to us everything that we need to be obedient, to walk with him, to be a witness to those around us. It's what we remember when we partake of communion, his body being broken, his blood being shed, and the life that we now have, full access to God, relationship with God,

Because of his work upon the cross. And so as we worship the Lord, I would ask you to meditate on those things. If God is speaking to your heart about one of the areas we talked about this morning or perhaps something else, confess it to the Lord. Surrender it to the Lord. Let him deal with that issue in your heart. Remember his work upon the cross. Come and cast your cares and burdens upon him because he cares for you. And as you come and you meditate on the work of the cross, as you prepare your heart to partake of communion,

Rejoice. It's a somber time to reflect and confess, but it's also a great joyful time to remember the life that he has given to us. That he accomplished it all. He did it all for us on the cross. That now we can walk victoriously in him by the power of the Spirit. Amen.

We pray you have been blessed by this Bible teaching. The power of God to change a life is found in the daily reading of His Word. Visit ferventword.com to find more teachings and Bible study resources.