WEBVTT 00:00:00.479 --> 00:00:06.480 You're stuck with me for today, which luckily, as Reed told you, Russ is coming back next week. 00:00:06.559 --> 00:00:07.679 So do not fear. 00:00:07.839 --> 00:00:08.720 Just deep breath. 00:00:08.800 --> 00:00:09.839 Let's get through this one today. 00:00:09.919 --> 00:00:14.400 And I also love the fact that Brian Robinson and Sam have kind of carried us through this uh whole part. 00:00:14.560 --> 00:00:21.440 I get the last portion of this thing, and they got the hoorah, everything's great part of 1 Thessalonians, and then I get the junk. 00:00:21.600 --> 00:00:28.239 Um so we're gonna dive into the weeds this morning a little bit, and I just want to warn you up front, like it's some stuff, man. 00:00:28.399 --> 00:00:35.200 So um I'm gonna pray in just a minute, and uh we're hopefully gonna just kind of weed through this thing and make it work. 00:00:35.359 --> 00:00:38.399 And I just want you to know that don't shoot the messenger, okay? 00:00:38.640 --> 00:00:39.840 Don't shoot the messenger. 00:00:39.920 --> 00:00:42.079 It's just I'm just reading from the word of God, all right? 00:00:42.159 --> 00:00:42.880 I promise you that. 00:00:43.039 --> 00:00:46.079 So one more time this morning, let me pray for us, and then we'll get rolling. 00:00:46.240 --> 00:00:47.359 Father, thank you for the day. 00:00:47.520 --> 00:00:48.960 Thank you for this church. 00:00:49.280 --> 00:00:51.119 Thank you for all these folks that are here. 00:00:51.280 --> 00:00:58.079 Father, my prayer this morning is that your word would be a roaring lion. 00:00:58.640 --> 00:01:01.119 That you'd just allow me to open the cage. 00:01:01.600 --> 00:01:11.040 Father, I just pray that as we study your word, as we see you, as we see your word come to life before us, God, that you'd prepare our hearts for that this morning. 00:01:11.280 --> 00:01:12.959 We ask all this in Jesus' name. 00:01:13.200 --> 00:01:13.840 Amen. 00:01:14.159 --> 00:01:19.519 Alright, so we've we've kind of gone through 1 Thessalonians where Russ has been out, and he's gonna close this thing out next week. 00:01:19.599 --> 00:01:27.200 And the best way that I can describe this without having to go all the way back to the beginning, if you haven't been here or whatever, is 1 Thessalonians is kind of a dad book, okay? 00:01:27.359 --> 00:01:32.159 Paul's kind of the dad, he's writing to the kids at the church at Thessalonik, they're young believers. 00:01:32.400 --> 00:01:44.159 You know, they're just trying to figure their way out in the world and all this stuff, and it's a it's very much a dad book, and for me that resonates because I know that I spend the majority of my time now trying not to be a certain dad. 00:01:44.319 --> 00:01:45.040 Does that make sense? 00:01:45.120 --> 00:01:48.000 That's the stage of life I'm in, is that I am a dad. 00:01:48.159 --> 00:01:51.280 I try to do the best I can, but I'm also trying not to be a certain guy. 00:01:51.359 --> 00:01:56.000 And I'll give you a perfect example is that we uh started soccer. 00:01:56.079 --> 00:01:59.519 We we were soccer people this past year, you know, for like the second time. 00:01:59.680 --> 00:02:05.120 And let me just tell you that that world right there, buddy, like it's you better get ready, you know? 00:02:05.280 --> 00:02:08.879 Like you gotta get in the mix of the soccer game, and you gotta know what you're doing. 00:02:09.039 --> 00:02:11.199 I have no clue how to play soccer. 00:02:11.280 --> 00:02:12.560 I know you're shocked by that. 00:02:12.719 --> 00:02:16.960 I know you're shocked by the this guy has no clue what you do in soccer, none whatsoever. 00:02:17.039 --> 00:02:24.319 I take a very American football mindset into everything, which is find ball, hit person, take ball. 00:02:24.479 --> 00:02:28.719 Like, that's all I know of it's if I'm coaching soccer, that's all I know how to do. 00:02:28.879 --> 00:02:31.840 Find ball, find person with ball, hit them, take the ball away. 00:02:32.080 --> 00:02:33.280 Like, that's it. 00:02:33.439 --> 00:02:39.280 And so we got into the mix a little bit in this soccer world of, you know, there were some times where I'm trying not to be that dad. 00:02:39.360 --> 00:02:40.639 I'm just the guy on the sidelines. 00:02:40.879 --> 00:02:42.080 I keep reminding myself that. 00:02:42.240 --> 00:02:43.439 I'm just the guy on the sidelines. 00:02:43.680 --> 00:02:49.199 But there's a couple teams that show up, you know, and I wanted to be the check and birth certificate dad. 00:02:49.360 --> 00:02:50.400 You know what I'm saying? 00:02:50.560 --> 00:02:52.479 Like, there's always one of those guys, too. 00:02:52.560 --> 00:02:56.240 And I almost turned into that guy a couple times, like, whoa whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, come here. 00:02:56.479 --> 00:02:57.520 How old are you? 00:02:57.680 --> 00:02:58.000 You know? 00:02:58.159 --> 00:02:59.039 When's your birthday? 00:02:59.199 --> 00:03:01.199 It's like check, I want to check some IDs, you know? 00:03:01.280 --> 00:03:02.400 Like, what are you doing here? 00:03:02.560 --> 00:03:03.199 How old are you? 00:03:03.280 --> 00:03:04.879 Why are you seven foot tall? 00:03:05.120 --> 00:03:05.520 You know? 00:03:05.680 --> 00:03:07.120 What's going on here? 00:03:07.360 --> 00:03:09.120 I I want to know these things, right? 00:03:09.199 --> 00:03:13.840 And so I'm trying not to get into that role, but finally we play this one team and they were giants. 00:03:14.000 --> 00:03:15.120 They were just giants. 00:03:15.280 --> 00:03:17.680 And they're, I'm, I mean, just kicking the ball everywhere. 00:03:17.759 --> 00:03:20.479 Our girls are scared to death, they're running away from these girls. 00:03:20.560 --> 00:03:22.319 And so finally I call my oldest over to the sideline. 00:03:22.400 --> 00:03:23.120 I've just I lost it. 00:03:23.199 --> 00:03:24.400 I was like, that's it, I can't do it anymore. 00:03:24.479 --> 00:03:25.680 So call my oldest over the sidelines. 00:03:25.840 --> 00:03:27.120 I'm like, you listen to me. 00:03:27.439 --> 00:03:31.599 Daddy's gonna teach you a phrase right now, and you're gonna remember it for the rest of your life. 00:03:31.680 --> 00:03:32.240 Do you understand? 00:03:32.400 --> 00:03:33.840 She's like, you know? 00:03:34.000 --> 00:03:37.199 I'm like, that phrase is speed kills. 00:03:37.599 --> 00:03:38.719 Speed kills. 00:03:38.960 --> 00:03:41.759 These girls are giants and they are ugly. 00:03:41.840 --> 00:03:43.039 You are fast and beautiful. 00:03:43.199 --> 00:03:44.159 Do you understand that? 00:03:44.400 --> 00:03:46.080 Like, here's what you do. 00:03:46.639 --> 00:03:54.479 You go out there and you be faster than everybody else, and you take the ball away from them and you run as fast as you possibly can and you make them catch you. 00:03:54.639 --> 00:03:55.919 I was like, Do you understand what's happening? 00:03:56.159 --> 00:03:59.360 Yes, you know, she's like, like, please. 00:03:59.520 --> 00:04:01.919 And so then I'm like, this is good, this is a good thing. 00:04:02.159 --> 00:04:03.520 I'm giving you the encouragement here. 00:04:03.680 --> 00:04:04.319 You're beautiful. 00:04:04.479 --> 00:04:06.080 I love you, you're beautiful. 00:04:06.240 --> 00:04:07.599 Now go do this, okay? 00:04:07.680 --> 00:04:08.639 Please go do this. 00:04:08.800 --> 00:04:11.919 And sure enough, then they're like little sponges, you know. 00:04:12.000 --> 00:04:15.439 All of a sudden it was like it clicked, it was like, wait a minute, the girl is slow. 00:04:15.599 --> 00:04:19.279 I'm about to burn this girl, you know, and here we go, we're off to the races. 00:04:19.439 --> 00:04:26.319 And I sit there when I read a book like 1 Thessalonians, and I see how Paul's writing to this church, it's literally the exact same thing. 00:04:26.480 --> 00:04:30.720 Because what we've done up to this point is he's told them how awesome they are. 00:04:30.959 --> 00:04:32.560 And now we've got to get into the weeks. 00:04:32.720 --> 00:04:34.800 Look at verse 1 of chapter 4. 00:04:34.879 --> 00:04:36.160 There's three things I want you to see today. 00:04:36.240 --> 00:04:37.759 Look at verse 1 of chapter 4. 00:04:38.000 --> 00:04:53.680 It says, Finally, then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus that as you receive from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God, just as you actually do walk, that you excel still more. 00:04:54.319 --> 00:04:59.600 For you know what commandments we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. 00:04:59.920 --> 00:05:06.079 Paul looks at this group of young believers right here, and there's there's kind of a threefold thing happening just in these first two verses right here. 00:05:06.160 --> 00:05:09.439 The first thing is, is he's telling them, you're still awesome. 00:05:09.600 --> 00:05:09.920 Okay? 00:05:10.240 --> 00:05:15.519 Don't forget, all the way up to this point, I've reminded you how awesome you are, and I don't want you to forget that. 00:05:15.680 --> 00:05:17.279 Look at what he says in verse 1. 00:05:17.439 --> 00:05:20.720 He says, just as you actually do walk. 00:05:20.879 --> 00:05:25.680 What he's saying is, he's not sitting there going, you're not doing this, so here's what you need to do. 00:05:25.839 --> 00:05:30.560 This is a reminder to these believers that you are doing this. 00:05:31.040 --> 00:05:34.639 But like a true dad, what's the second fold of this reminder? 00:05:34.800 --> 00:05:36.079 Look at what he says. 00:05:37.199 --> 00:05:41.519 You excel still more. 00:05:41.680 --> 00:05:43.680 Is that not a true dad phase right there? 00:05:43.839 --> 00:05:47.040 That's the part I love the most, is that he looks at him and he goes, You're awesome. 00:05:47.199 --> 00:05:48.879 You can always be better. 00:05:49.279 --> 00:05:49.920 Right? 00:05:50.639 --> 00:05:53.519 Isn't that the message that we would love to instill into our kids? 00:05:53.600 --> 00:05:57.279 Is that, hey, I love you and you're awesome, but there's still room to grow, isn't there? 00:05:57.439 --> 00:05:58.959 There's always room to get better. 00:05:59.120 --> 00:06:01.360 And then the last thing, look at what he says in verse 2. 00:06:01.519 --> 00:06:03.439 He says that Christ is the authority on these things. 00:06:03.519 --> 00:06:07.680 And I love this because he says, For you know what commandments we gave you. 00:06:07.839 --> 00:06:14.800 And as Sam and Brian kind of taught us in the beginning of this thing, this is Paul and Timothy and guys that have shown up into the church, and now they've been run out. 00:06:14.959 --> 00:06:17.839 And so Paul's writing back to them this letter, okay? 00:06:18.000 --> 00:06:23.120 And he says, You know the commandments that we gave you by what? 00:06:23.920 --> 00:06:28.000 The authority of the Lord Jesus. 00:06:29.120 --> 00:06:38.560 And this is a beautiful thing because what Paul is doing is he's reminding these young believers, hey, you're not gonna let me down. 00:06:39.759 --> 00:06:45.519 You're not getting me off the hook, you're not hurting me by not keeping the commandments. 00:06:45.680 --> 00:06:49.439 These aren't our commandments, these are God's commandments. 00:06:50.560 --> 00:06:55.040 Just like I told you in the beginning, is that there's some strong stuff in this passage of scripture. 00:06:55.120 --> 00:06:56.000 Don't shoot the messenger. 00:06:56.079 --> 00:06:56.319 Why? 00:06:56.399 --> 00:06:57.600 Because it's not mine. 00:06:58.720 --> 00:07:00.480 It's God's, it's not mine. 00:07:00.639 --> 00:07:11.279 What Paul's doing is he's looking at these believers and he's going, hey man, you need to remember, here's a reminder for you that not only are you awesome, but you can still keep growing. 00:07:11.439 --> 00:07:12.959 And as you grow, guess what? 00:07:13.120 --> 00:07:16.720 Grow in the way of the Lord, not in the way that I instructed you. 00:07:18.079 --> 00:07:20.879 You know, this is it's a it's a beautiful picture. 00:07:20.959 --> 00:07:25.360 It's the same picture that I get when our kids go to grandparents' house. 00:07:25.439 --> 00:07:28.800 We have grandparents in this room in here today, and they know. 00:07:29.040 --> 00:07:30.959 They know how terrible they are. 00:07:32.160 --> 00:07:36.079 Because you send your children to your to the grandparents' house, and what happens? 00:07:36.319 --> 00:07:39.920 They come back, and it's three days of reprogramming. 00:07:40.639 --> 00:07:48.639 It's three days of reprogramming the children because they've been at the grandparents' house, and no, you will not eat ice cream for breakfast, you know? 00:07:48.879 --> 00:07:50.319 No, you cannot have that. 00:07:50.399 --> 00:07:55.839 And and you're and you just you have to look at them, you have to go, hey buddy, you're back in gym pop now, the warden's in charge. 00:07:56.079 --> 00:07:56.560 You know? 00:07:56.720 --> 00:08:00.480 Like, you're not with grandma's not here anymore, you know? 00:08:00.560 --> 00:08:02.800 Like, you have to have that conversation. 00:08:04.399 --> 00:08:06.480 And my mom's the worst. 00:08:07.199 --> 00:08:14.720 She's the worst because she takes them and she lets them do anything they want to do, regardless of the instruction that we give her. 00:08:15.360 --> 00:08:18.079 And then when she does it, the excuse is always the same. 00:08:18.240 --> 00:08:19.680 I'm the grandparent. 00:08:20.160 --> 00:08:21.839 I don't care what you say. 00:08:24.079 --> 00:08:25.439 She's opening us about it. 00:08:25.600 --> 00:08:27.360 And so we reprogram, right? 00:08:27.439 --> 00:08:29.120 It takes three or four days to reprogram. 00:08:29.199 --> 00:08:39.600 What Paul's doing is he's been sent out from out of the presence of these believers in this church, and he's writing back and he's going, Hey, the world's throwing all kinds of stuff at you guys. 00:08:39.759 --> 00:08:47.440 I'm trying to help you get reprogrammed into not what you were taught by us, but the authority of the God that we taught it on. 00:08:49.279 --> 00:09:03.759 It's an amazing thing than a reminder that we all need in our own lives that sometimes the world throws all kinds of stuff at us, and some of it's good and some of it's bad, and some of it's rough, and some of it's easy, or whatever it may be, but at the same time, we have to remember what? 00:09:04.399 --> 00:09:06.559 That's not the authority that we're looking for. 00:09:06.720 --> 00:09:09.519 The authority that we have is from the word of God. 00:09:11.840 --> 00:09:14.320 That's the reminder that we need every single day. 00:09:15.279 --> 00:09:16.559 Look at the second thing today. 00:09:16.639 --> 00:09:17.840 This is where we get into the junk. 00:09:17.919 --> 00:09:18.559 You ready? 00:09:19.120 --> 00:09:21.279 Second thing I want you to see is the separation. 00:09:21.840 --> 00:09:25.519 Look at verse three and four. 00:09:26.480 --> 00:09:28.399 For this is the will of God. 00:09:28.559 --> 00:09:31.679 Remember, Paul just got done telling him, don't, don't see the messenger, it's not me. 00:09:31.759 --> 00:09:32.960 This is this is God's word, you ready? 00:09:33.039 --> 00:09:36.559 For this is the will of God, your sanctification. 00:09:37.120 --> 00:09:41.360 That is, that you abstain from sexual immorality. 00:09:41.600 --> 00:09:42.960 Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. 00:09:43.759 --> 00:09:49.200 We've spent three and a half chapters at this point being told how awesome we are. 00:09:49.679 --> 00:09:54.799 We've been told, here's how you should do church, here's how much we love you, here's why I'm writing this to you. 00:09:55.039 --> 00:09:57.600 All of these wonderful things have come piling in. 00:09:57.759 --> 00:10:02.879 Even the beginning of chapter four, they're probably still on cloud nine thinking, we are really awesome. 00:10:02.960 --> 00:10:09.679 And then they get to verse three, and Paul looks at them and goes, This is the will of God, and they're shaking their hands, going, okay, your sanctification. 00:10:09.759 --> 00:10:15.200 The word sanctification literally means to be set apart from sin into holiness. 00:10:15.440 --> 00:10:17.919 To be set apart from sin into holiness. 00:10:18.000 --> 00:10:25.200 So Paul's looking at him going, This is the will of God, part of your sanctification, to be set apart from sin into holiness. 00:10:25.279 --> 00:10:27.759 And then what is he, what kind of bombs he drop on these people? 00:10:27.919 --> 00:10:30.399 Abstain from sexual immorality. 00:10:32.240 --> 00:10:36.639 And they're going, that's like an uppercut. 00:10:36.879 --> 00:10:38.159 Like, what, what? 00:10:39.360 --> 00:10:41.120 Where did this come from? 00:10:42.000 --> 00:10:47.519 Well, in order to understand that, we have to understand why in the world this would even be an issue. 00:10:47.759 --> 00:10:53.600 And the reason it's an issue is because these young believers in the church are being influenced in two different ways. 00:10:53.759 --> 00:11:01.120 Right outside the door of their church is a very Greek culture and a Roman culture coming together at the same time and weaving together. 00:11:01.279 --> 00:11:08.399 And in both of those instances, there's a very liberal view of sex and sexual immorality. 00:11:09.120 --> 00:11:12.720 And that view says anything goes. 00:11:13.919 --> 00:11:15.519 And everything is okay. 00:11:15.759 --> 00:11:19.360 Man, can you imagine living in a terrible world like that? 00:11:24.480 --> 00:11:25.120 Yes. 00:11:26.159 --> 00:11:27.120 We can. 00:11:27.679 --> 00:11:29.200 Anything goes. 00:11:30.000 --> 00:11:41.200 And the reason that Paul has to butter you up a little bit with this is not my word, it's the word of God, is because he's about to look at people and go, don't forget that God designed this thing. 00:11:42.240 --> 00:11:46.639 That not only did he design it, he laid it out step for step in his word. 00:11:46.960 --> 00:11:54.159 And anything outside of a sexual relationship between a married man and woman is off limits. 00:11:57.039 --> 00:11:59.120 That's the one that gets you invited from the parties. 00:11:59.360 --> 00:12:00.480 Gets you uninvited. 00:12:00.720 --> 00:12:01.919 That's the one that everybody's. 00:12:04.240 --> 00:12:06.080 I'm done with that guy. 00:12:08.639 --> 00:12:10.960 Don't shoot the messenger, man. 00:12:12.240 --> 00:12:15.840 That's the one where we wash our hands and go, no, thank you. 00:12:16.000 --> 00:12:26.080 But at the end of the day, the reason Paul is writing this is because right outside of their door, it's happening in front of their faces on a daily basis. 00:12:27.120 --> 00:12:38.879 And the ease of walking out of the church and into sexual immorality is easier than you and I driving down the street to the grocery store. 00:12:40.320 --> 00:12:41.919 Look at what he says in verse 4. 00:12:42.000 --> 00:12:46.240 It says that each of you know how to possess his own vessel. 00:12:46.399 --> 00:12:47.600 Again, in what? 00:12:47.919 --> 00:12:51.759 Sanctification and honor set apart from sin to holiness. 00:12:51.919 --> 00:12:53.919 That you know how to control yourself. 00:12:54.159 --> 00:12:57.600 I love that the Bible constantly brings up self-control. 00:12:57.919 --> 00:13:03.039 Because, see, that's the one thing that we hate talking about. 00:13:03.759 --> 00:13:08.080 In all instances, we do not like talking about self-control. 00:13:08.480 --> 00:13:14.000 We don't want to know what the Bible says about certain things because it would cause us to have to do what? 00:13:14.480 --> 00:13:18.559 Control ourselves in such a way to abstain. 00:13:18.720 --> 00:13:20.879 What did the verse say in verse 3? 00:13:21.120 --> 00:13:27.759 That you abstain, you hold yourself back, you tell yourself no. 00:13:29.440 --> 00:13:30.799 We don't like self-control. 00:13:30.879 --> 00:13:32.320 But here's the beauty of self-control. 00:13:32.480 --> 00:13:37.919 In Galatians 5, verse 22 through 24, it's not going to be on your screens, but anybody know what that is? 00:13:38.240 --> 00:13:40.080 It's a fruit of the Spirit. 00:13:40.399 --> 00:13:41.840 It's the fruit of the Spirit. 00:13:42.080 --> 00:13:46.559 And it literally teaches us what an indwelling in us of the Holy Spirit looks like. 00:13:46.639 --> 00:14:00.320 And here's what it says in verse 22 but the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. 00:14:04.639 --> 00:14:06.480 And it gets worse, you ready? 00:14:07.200 --> 00:14:22.159 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus, Galatians 5, 24, those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions. 00:14:24.799 --> 00:14:28.559 They have crucified the flesh with its passions. 00:14:28.879 --> 00:14:29.279 Why? 00:14:29.440 --> 00:14:30.320 And desires. 00:14:30.559 --> 00:14:37.919 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. 00:14:39.360 --> 00:14:42.080 That's the other one that gets you uninvited from the party. 00:14:44.240 --> 00:14:45.759 You want to know why? 00:14:46.720 --> 00:14:49.840 Because it means that my opinion doesn't matter. 00:14:50.320 --> 00:14:53.200 It means that your opinion doesn't matter. 00:14:53.440 --> 00:15:11.200 It means that God has already laid out and designed certain things for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in believers to put aside the lust that belongs inside of us, the lust that comes with our flesh, and to be set apart, sanctified from that into holiness. 00:15:12.159 --> 00:15:16.639 And there's no way for us to do it on our own. 00:15:17.440 --> 00:15:18.879 It's impossible. 00:15:21.279 --> 00:15:24.399 Here's what verse 5 says in 1 Thessalonians, back in chapter 4. 00:15:24.559 --> 00:15:31.840 Here's what it says not in lustful passion like the Gentiles who do not know God. 00:15:33.679 --> 00:15:34.799 I love this part. 00:15:34.960 --> 00:15:35.840 You want to know why? 00:15:36.080 --> 00:15:39.519 Because Paul isn't taking this thing. 00:15:39.679 --> 00:15:46.000 He isn't taking this reminder, taking this sanctification process and set apart, being set apart from sin to holiness. 00:15:46.080 --> 00:15:52.559 He's not taking that and putting it on unbelievers, which is what we like to do today, right? 00:15:53.200 --> 00:15:58.559 As Christians, we'd love to go out into the world and make the world believe what we believe, right? 00:15:58.720 --> 00:16:04.399 We'd love to go out into the places out in our own town, and we'd love to say, you need to act like we act. 00:16:04.639 --> 00:16:06.639 You need to do the things that we do, right? 00:16:06.799 --> 00:16:11.440 And the unbelievers are looking in and going, No, I don't want to do what you do. 00:16:11.600 --> 00:16:12.879 I don't want to be a part of this. 00:16:13.039 --> 00:16:14.320 I don't want anything to do with that. 00:16:14.399 --> 00:16:19.759 And we expect, we have this expectation that it's on them to get like us. 00:16:21.039 --> 00:16:24.960 And do you know what Paul literally blows apart right here in verse 5? 00:16:25.120 --> 00:16:30.720 He says, Not in lustful passion like the Gentiles who do not know God. 00:16:32.559 --> 00:16:34.799 He's going, it's not on them. 00:16:37.279 --> 00:16:39.840 You're the one in Christ's likeness. 00:16:40.080 --> 00:16:42.000 You're the one being sanctified. 00:16:42.159 --> 00:16:47.679 You're the one having to walk every single day in the life that God has called you to, being in God's will. 00:16:47.840 --> 00:16:49.919 It's on you. 00:16:53.120 --> 00:16:54.399 It's not on them. 00:16:56.320 --> 00:17:03.279 But you see, it's a whole lot easier to live a life that says, no, you need to get like me. 00:17:06.160 --> 00:17:07.200 Look at verse 6. 00:17:07.359 --> 00:17:16.240 And that no man transgress and defraud his brother in the matter, because the Lord is the avenger in all these things. 00:17:16.640 --> 00:17:28.000 Just as we also told you before and solemnly warned you, for God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification. 00:17:29.119 --> 00:17:47.039 Paul looks at him and he goes, and not only does this problem affect you, the problem he's writing about sexual immorality, and he's looking at these people and going, the thought of sexual immorality, we love to blow this issue up and make it think that it's a very personal thing that only hurts you. 00:17:47.279 --> 00:17:48.720 Folks, let me tell you something. 00:17:48.960 --> 00:17:54.240 Sexual immorality has a ripple effect unseen in all of our lives. 00:17:55.359 --> 00:18:01.119 The word sexual immorality in the Bible, the Greek word is pornea. 00:18:01.279 --> 00:18:04.000 Do you know what word we derive from that? 00:18:04.319 --> 00:18:06.400 The word pornography. 00:18:06.799 --> 00:18:09.359 It's the root word for pornography. 00:18:10.400 --> 00:18:16.640 And in the Bible, Paul is literally not just laying out your big picture view of sexual immorality. 00:18:16.799 --> 00:18:28.160 He's laying it out as anything that takes you from the position of God's design of sexual morality and moves you outside of those bounds. 00:18:28.480 --> 00:18:29.440 Anything. 00:18:30.079 --> 00:18:40.559 The things your eyes can see, the things your ears can hear, the things your lips can say, all of those things fall into that umbrella, under that umbrella. 00:18:42.000 --> 00:18:45.680 And he's looking at him and saying, it's not just you that gets hurt. 00:18:45.839 --> 00:18:52.720 It hurts the body, it hurts the brethren, it hurts other people outside of the church. 00:18:53.200 --> 00:18:57.200 And it causes us to go into a place that we shouldn't have been in the first place. 00:18:57.279 --> 00:18:59.039 And then in verse 7, look at what he says. 00:18:59.279 --> 00:19:04.160 For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in what? 00:19:05.039 --> 00:19:06.480 Sanctification. 00:19:09.200 --> 00:19:13.279 It's a reminder again of Paul saying, you have a separation. 00:19:13.440 --> 00:19:18.079 You've been called to be separated from the world, from sin, into holiness. 00:19:19.839 --> 00:19:21.759 You haven't been called to impurity. 00:19:22.000 --> 00:19:24.480 Impurity is what happens all around you. 00:19:24.640 --> 00:19:30.720 But what God has done in you through the indwelling of his Holy Spirit in you is he has set you apart. 00:19:31.920 --> 00:19:37.440 He set you apart in sanctification to go and live a life of holiness. 00:19:39.359 --> 00:19:40.880 We don't like that. 00:19:42.640 --> 00:19:44.640 Because that is not popular. 00:19:47.039 --> 00:19:48.000 You know what else is not? 00:19:48.079 --> 00:19:49.599 It's not fun either. 00:19:51.839 --> 00:19:53.839 You miss out on a lot. 00:19:58.000 --> 00:20:00.000 Paul continues on, look at what he says. 00:20:01.359 --> 00:20:13.200 In verse 8, he who rejects this is not rejecting man, but the God who gives his Holy Spirit to you. 00:20:16.160 --> 00:20:18.079 Don't shoot the messenger. 00:20:19.759 --> 00:20:21.359 This is the work of God. 00:20:21.440 --> 00:20:23.680 Now, we get into the last thing I want you to see today. 00:20:23.839 --> 00:20:25.759 The last thing I want you to see is the action. 00:20:25.839 --> 00:20:27.279 There's always got to be some action, right? 00:20:27.359 --> 00:20:28.319 So here's the action. 00:20:28.559 --> 00:20:32.880 People think this little section right here that we're about to read should be a whole separate deal, okay? 00:20:33.039 --> 00:20:33.839 Should be out of there. 00:20:33.920 --> 00:20:35.519 But I see some correlations between the two. 00:20:35.839 --> 00:20:36.319 Let's just look at it. 00:20:36.400 --> 00:20:36.799 You ready? 00:20:36.960 --> 00:20:38.000 Look at verse 9. 00:20:38.160 --> 00:20:39.519 Remember, this is the action. 00:20:39.759 --> 00:20:47.599 Now, as to the love of the brethren, you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another. 00:20:47.759 --> 00:20:48.640 Here goes Paul again. 00:20:48.720 --> 00:20:49.440 What is he saying? 00:20:49.599 --> 00:20:52.480 You got, you don't need any, you're awesome in that. 00:20:52.559 --> 00:20:53.440 In loving one another. 00:20:53.519 --> 00:20:54.400 You're doing awesome. 00:20:54.480 --> 00:20:56.160 And it's because you've been taught by God. 00:20:56.240 --> 00:20:58.079 It's not us, it's God doing the work. 00:20:58.319 --> 00:20:59.440 That's why you're awesome. 00:20:59.599 --> 00:21:01.119 But look at verse 10. 00:21:01.920 --> 00:21:08.000 For indeed you do practice it toward all the brethren who are in all of Macedonia. 00:21:08.480 --> 00:21:11.279 But, it's a good dad line, you ready? 00:21:11.440 --> 00:21:14.720 But we urge you, brethren, to what? 00:21:15.279 --> 00:21:17.680 Excel still more. 00:21:19.200 --> 00:21:23.759 This is where we really like to wash our hands and go, nothing's ever good enough. 00:21:25.440 --> 00:21:28.319 It's just never good enough, is it, Paul? 00:21:29.279 --> 00:21:34.640 We can just never get it right because every time we do, you tell us that we should be doing more. 00:21:36.000 --> 00:21:42.079 The beauty of that is that Paul, if he were here, could point back to the verse before that and go, it's not me. 00:21:44.960 --> 00:21:46.880 This is an Almighty God. 00:21:48.240 --> 00:21:49.039 It's not me. 00:21:49.119 --> 00:21:51.920 And then look at what he says in verse 11. 00:21:52.480 --> 00:21:59.839 And to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business. 00:22:01.119 --> 00:22:05.359 And work with your hands just as we commanded you. 00:22:05.839 --> 00:22:06.480 What? 00:22:09.039 --> 00:22:10.960 What are we talking about? 00:22:11.519 --> 00:22:18.079 Living a quiet life and minding your own business and working with your hands and doing all that? 00:22:18.160 --> 00:22:19.359 Like, what are we talking about? 00:22:19.599 --> 00:22:22.640 Paul, right here, this is the best part, you're ready, because you know what he's doing. 00:22:22.799 --> 00:22:32.000 The culture that is happening outside the doors of the church, he's taking a chisel and he is bashing it into small little bits with every single word. 00:22:32.160 --> 00:22:35.279 Because the Greek culture was the squeaky wheel gets the grease. 00:22:35.359 --> 00:22:41.119 That means whoever's standing on the tallest stump, speaking the loudest, they're the ones that's most important. 00:22:41.359 --> 00:22:43.839 Not only that, but then he looks at him, what does he say? 00:22:44.000 --> 00:22:45.839 Mind your own business. 00:22:47.839 --> 00:22:51.200 Paul, this is Marietta. 00:22:55.839 --> 00:22:57.200 Come on, bro. 00:22:58.000 --> 00:23:02.160 If we didn't worry about anybody else's business, we wouldn't have any business to worry about. 00:23:05.279 --> 00:23:07.119 And then the last one, I love this. 00:23:07.359 --> 00:23:08.960 Work with your hands. 00:23:11.440 --> 00:23:13.119 Work with your hands. 00:23:13.440 --> 00:23:16.079 Greek culture, do you know what they thought about manual labor? 00:23:16.240 --> 00:23:22.000 If they thought the person standing on the highest stump talking the loudest was the most important, what do you think they thought about manual labor? 00:23:22.240 --> 00:23:23.759 It was worthless. 00:23:25.839 --> 00:23:27.039 Worthless. 00:23:28.640 --> 00:23:32.480 The biggest and baddest jobs around were to do what? 00:23:33.599 --> 00:23:40.000 To be a philosopher, to be a thinker, to be someone in this high-level government position, all of these things. 00:23:40.240 --> 00:23:43.039 Can you imagine living in a terrible world like that? 00:23:47.519 --> 00:23:50.400 There's no cause for working with your hands. 00:23:50.480 --> 00:24:02.880 And so Paul chips away at all of these cultural norms right here and he says, No, what I'm telling you is that make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, attend to your own business, and work with your hands. 00:24:03.200 --> 00:24:03.759 Why? 00:24:04.000 --> 00:24:06.000 Watch verse 12. 00:24:06.319 --> 00:24:07.920 This is the best part. 00:24:08.079 --> 00:24:08.640 You ready? 00:24:08.799 --> 00:24:10.000 Verse 12. 00:24:10.319 --> 00:24:17.680 So that you will behave properly towards outsiders and not be in any need. 00:24:19.359 --> 00:24:21.119 You say, I miss it. 00:24:21.920 --> 00:24:23.440 What's so great about that part? 00:24:24.480 --> 00:24:27.119 There's one word in here that's that's great about this part. 00:24:27.279 --> 00:24:27.759 You ready? 00:24:28.079 --> 00:24:28.880 I'll slow it down. 00:24:29.039 --> 00:24:29.839 Verse 12. 00:24:30.160 --> 00:24:34.960 So that you. 00:24:38.079 --> 00:24:43.680 Remember when Paul took all of the stuff off of the world outside, he didn't blame them for anything. 00:24:43.759 --> 00:24:48.079 And what he's doing is he's looking at believers and going, it's your job to go out and live this way. 00:24:48.240 --> 00:24:55.440 You're the one that goes out in sanctification and being set apart and puts your head down and goes to work and minds his own business and does all of these things. 00:24:55.599 --> 00:24:56.720 Whose job is it? 00:24:57.039 --> 00:24:58.000 Yours. 00:25:00.319 --> 00:25:00.960 Why? 00:25:01.519 --> 00:25:04.319 So that you won't be in any need. 00:25:06.640 --> 00:25:12.640 The action here is the complete opposite of what we are taught on a daily basis. 00:25:12.880 --> 00:25:20.559 To be loud, to have the important title, to do all of these things and go out and make our force our will onto somebody else. 00:25:20.720 --> 00:25:27.759 And the truth of the matter is, Paul is looking at believers and going, actually, I want you to do the opposite. 00:25:28.640 --> 00:25:46.000 I want you to be quiet, put your head down, go to work, do the things that God's called you to do, live the life that God's called you to do, and watch how people will separate you, sanctification, from everything else that goes on in the world. 00:25:46.799 --> 00:25:55.680 I can remember being a young minister, and I got kind of pushed into a conversation at one point in time that I had no business being in. 00:25:55.759 --> 00:25:59.839 And this guy was had incredible problems. 00:26:00.720 --> 00:26:09.119 Marriage was falling apart, his wife was basically a functioning alcoholic, and there were affairs, there was all kinds of stuff was happening. 00:26:09.279 --> 00:26:10.960 And it was a perfect storm. 00:26:11.039 --> 00:26:12.240 I was young. 00:26:12.640 --> 00:26:22.880 I was in this group that heard all of this, and at that time, in my mind, as a young minister, my thought was, I have the answer to this. 00:26:23.839 --> 00:26:30.480 Because I thought, you know, hey, I'm I've reached this point, you know, I'm gonna give my opinion. 00:26:30.559 --> 00:26:38.720 I'll never forget being in this room with these guys, and this conversation is just pouring itself out in an incredible way. 00:26:38.880 --> 00:26:48.160 And I remember just inserting myself like I'm an idiot into this conversation and spouting this off, and I'll never forget the guy looked at me. 00:26:48.400 --> 00:26:54.400 He looks at me and he says, That's easy to say when your world's not the one burning down. 00:26:56.480 --> 00:27:00.400 And I never ever forgot that. 00:27:01.119 --> 00:27:10.079 Because what that guy in that moment needed to see, he didn't need to see the guy standing on the stump shouting the loudest, saying, I've got the answer. 00:27:10.240 --> 00:27:16.960 What he wanted was somebody to get into the mud with him and just walk. 00:27:20.000 --> 00:27:22.240 Is there anybody that would do it? 00:27:22.480 --> 00:27:30.720 What Paul is looking at these young believers and saying is he's saying, get off the stump and walk. 00:27:34.559 --> 00:27:37.200 Brothers and sisters, do not miss this today. 00:27:37.599 --> 00:27:46.960 God has called us as believers to be sanctified, set apart from sin and to holiness. 00:27:49.599 --> 00:27:59.119 And there is no way for us to achieve that on our own apart from the love of Christ and his indwelling of the Holy Spirit in us. 00:28:01.599 --> 00:28:05.920 Everything else will be considered a failure. 00:28:06.880 --> 00:28:08.079 Let me pray for us today. 00:28:08.160 --> 00:28:08.880 Father, we love you. 00:28:08.960 --> 00:28:12.400 We thank you for this message, we thank you for the time that you've given us to study your word. 00:28:12.880 --> 00:28:21.279 Father, I pray that I handled it with accuracy, with love, with all the things that you've called me to do. 00:28:21.680 --> 00:28:24.480 I pray that it would pierce hearts this morning, Father. 00:28:25.359 --> 00:28:31.359 And that, Lord, you would have your will in your way as we move forward with our service as we take communion. 00:28:32.559 --> 00:28:33.839 Lord, we love you. 00:28:34.160 --> 00:28:35.839 We thank you for your son, Jesus. 00:28:36.079 --> 00:28:37.519 And we ask all this in his name. 00:28:37.920 --> 00:28:38.400 Amen.