More and More

Context Before Finally...

Paul is Encouraged that Through Affliction they are Standing Fast in the Lord

These Thessalonians are being afflicted and this is going to happen as a Christian. Paul is saying we warned you of this, and it has come to pass. Paul fears that they their faith may have waivered.

Paul is encouraged that they have ben continuing their faith and love (Verse 6)

Paul appreciates that they remember Timothy and Paul and want to see them (Verse 6)

Paul is comforted that their faith remains strong and they are standing fast in the Lord (Verse 7 and 8)

He wants to see them again and prays that the Lord directs him there. (Verse 11 and 12)

He reminds them to love and establish their hearts in holiness before God. Keep fighting the good fight of faith and be reminded of whom you serve and for when Jesus is coming back. (Verse 13)

This Leads to Finally...

1 Thessalonians 4:1 ESV

1 Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more.

Paul continues to build off this as we go into the new section and basically tells them to do more. He is encouraged by them and finds joy for their relationship with God but He wants them to keep growing.

That they continue to be sanctified as we will see in verse 3.

The theme for this section, Chapter 4 verses 1-13, is to basically do more and more.

1 Thessalonians 4:10 ESV

10 for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more,

Everything that you do for God, that is great, and now do more. An important concept to understand though, is we are not doing more and more to be saved. This was an issue and continues to be an issue. We do not do more and more so that God will love us. We do more and more because God loves us.

We’ve been going over the three circles throughout many different Lifegroups and ministries. We have God’s Design, Brokenness, the Gospel, and then live the way God designed us.

God had a design for us in every area of our life. He has a desired plan for us. What ends up happening though, is this thing called sin, where we like to do what we want to do. This sin has separated us from God, which leads to brokenness. Many of us feel this brokenness such as a lack of purpose, anxiety that isn’t fixed with the means of the world, emptiness. You may not even feel this brokenness, but that doesn’t change the fact that you are still broken. You may want to fix this yourself and you might try to do right things from time to time and that satisfies a little bit of that guilts, but without Christ

If we take this idea of what Paul is saying “more and more”

Be More Holy Through Purity

1 Thessalonians 4:3–5 ESV

3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, 5 not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God;

Sexual Immorality Hurts and Wrongs His Brother

1 Thessalonians 4:6–7 ESV

6 that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. 7 For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness.

Stand Out from the World

1 Thessalonians 4:7 ESV

7 For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness.

Be More Holy Through Love

1 Thessalonians 4:9–10 ESV

9 Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another, 10 for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more,

Be More Holy In Every Ounce of Your LIfe

1 Thessalonians 4:11–12 ESV

11 and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, 12 so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.