Flaming the Spirit's Fire
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· 9 viewsIn Paul's final instructions to the people, he poured out a plethora of advice on how to live as a Christian which enables us to endure all things.
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Introduction
Introduction
Good morning and welcome back!
If you will this morning, start turning in your Bibles to .
This morning, the intention that I had was to continue with the the theme of Thanksgiving, which IS this week by the way!
After thinking it was last week all weekend long, somebody finally told me that I was a week off.
However, when I was studying and preparing the message this morning I thought that the key verse for this morning would be that tells us . . .
18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Which in itself is an excellent piece of Scripture and one we could hang out hat one and would do us well, if we would live our lives by it.
However, as I began to dig deeper in this entire passage I began to realize that the Lord was leading us to look at the entire circumstance going on here and the entirety of Paul’s words found in .
So, we are going to be reading from verses 12-22 as our “focal passage” but in reality we are going to be covering most of the chapter this morning.
And to just set the stage a bit, Paul has written this letter to the Christians in Thessalonconcia and the content of this letter is packed full of practical words of wisdom on how to live a Christian life even under the evil oppression of the Roman Empire.
Even though sin seemed to surround them on every side and was constantly trying to draw them away from God, Paul wants them to know that their lives did not have to be dictated and determined by the sin around them.
That they were in control of the decisions that they made in life.
That they had the choice to choose God and God’s way or to go their own way and stray from God.
And Pau here is encouraging them to tap into the power of the Holy Spirit that is going to enable them to do these things and overcome the evil and sin that surrounds them.
And this last chapter (really just the closing of the letter), Paul sums up a lot of what he has spent the entirety of the letter explaining to them.
And the first part is a rebuke on the lifestyle of the world and the second part is a call to reject the wordly way and embrace God’s way.
So, that sort of lays the framework for us this morning.
If you have found in your Bibles, I’d invite you to stand with me as we read, starting in verse 12.
Paul writes . . .
Scripture Focus
Scripture Focus
12 Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. 13 Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. 14 And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 15 Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else. 16 Be joyful always; 17 pray continually; 18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 19 Do not put out the Spirit’s fire; 20 do not treat prophecies with contempt. 21 Test everything. Hold on to the good. 22 Avoid every kind of evil.
12 Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. 13 Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. 14 And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 15 Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else. 16 Be joyful always; 17 pray continually; 18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 19 Do not put out the Spirit’s fire; 20 do not treat prophecies with contempt. 21 Test everything. Hold on to the good. 22 Avoid every kind of evil. 23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.
1 Thessalonians 5:12
We Do Not Belong to the Night So Don’t Act Like It (vs 1-11)
We Do Not Belong to the Night So Don’t Act Like It (vs 1-11)
We Do Not Belong to the Night So Don’t Act Like It (vs 1-11)
We Do Not Belong to the Night So Don’t Act Like It (vs 1-11)
See what I’m talking about here?
It just seems almost like a bullet list of what we should do and how we should live.
And we are going to break down that list a bit in just a minute, but first remember I talked about this rebuke to the way of the world in the first section.
So, let’s back up a bit and se what Paul has to say about that.
Starting all the way back in verse 1, Paul writes this . . .
1 Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, 2 for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, “Peace and safety”, destruction will come on them suddenly, as labour pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
1 Thessalonians 5:
Which is a bit strange considering I just said Paul was writing about the rebuke of the world and the ways of the world.
This is all about the end times, what does that have to do with the worldly lifestyle?
A whole lot actually.
Let’s look a bit closer, first Paul says . . .
1 Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you,
And what Paul is saying here is “we know things are bad, we know that sin abounds, we’re not telling you something you don’t already know and recognize.”
And because of the sinfulness, the evil, the depravity of the world that surrounds them, they can all see that the Day of the Lord is drawing very near.
They can all recognize that . . .
2 for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.
1 Thessalonians 5:2
The Day of the Lord is coming soon, it is coming quickly, and it is coming unexpectedly.
In fact, Paul continues by writing . . .
3 While people are saying, “Peace and safety”, destruction will come on them suddenly, as labour pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
1 Thessalonians 5:3
And we need to point this out because it is precisely the world we are living in today.
We have a lot of people running around this world, living anyway they choose, rejecting God and God’s message on every time.
Crying out “peace and safety,” while all the time God’s people are crying out “destruction is coming quickly, the Day of the Lord is coming, in fact it is upon us now!”
But people today, just like in Paul’s day did not want to hear the truth.
They did not want to accept the truth.
They thought that they had it all figured out and that nothing was ever going to happen.
Just like we do today.
We go on day by day by day.
Hearing the warnings, seeing the warnings that God is putting out there, but never heeding the warnings.
Sure, we come in here on Sunday morning and leave with the conviction of the Holy Spirit on us.
But that passes soon enough when we go back out into the world and all the sin around us starts to work its way in.
Or, we come to the altar and pray trying to ease our conscience a bit, but we never let God really change our hearts.
Really dig down and change us on the inside.
And my fear is that as soon as the Day of the Lord comes on us, whether the true Day of the Lord when Jesus returns, or our day when we will stand before God comes, we will be surprised.
When we stand before God and hear “depart from me I never knew you.”
However, Paul has a bit of a rebuke for us. He writes . . .
4 But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. 5 You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.
1 Thessalonians 5:4
Or we are not supposed to belong to the night or the darkness.
If we have given our hearts to Jesus, then we should not be surprised by any of this.
It is all written in God’s Word.
It is all written on our heart so we know that it is true.
And if any of it is surprising to us, then it’s not a problem with God, it is a problem in our own sinful heart.
And if we are Christians then we also have a responsibility to live a life that is radically different from the rest of the world.
6 So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.
1 Thessalonians 5:6-
If that sounds familiar, it is because Paul is talking about the armour of God.
The breastplate of righteousness.
The helmet of salvation.
He is talking about our lives being an example to to others the hope and help that is found in Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ alone.
He is talking about living a life “worthy of the high calling” we have received.
He is talking about coming to Christ and leading others to Christ.
He goes on . . .
9 For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. 10 He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him.
1 Thessalonians 5:
Act How You Are Supposed To Act (vs 12-22)
Act How You Are Supposed To Act (vs 12-22)
But, let’s be honest, are we living our lives that way?
Are we living in the victory we have received in Jesus Christ?
Or, are we just muddling by, barely making it?
Well, have we every stopped and thought about why we are barely making it?
What’s different in us than others that seem to be able to overcome anything the comes their way?
In this next part Paul gives us the answers to this.
First, some practical advice on how we are to treat others and encourage other Christians . . .
12 Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. 13 Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. 14 And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 15 Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.
1 Thessalonians 5:
Second, the inner attitude we should adopt . . . .
16 Be joyful always; 17 pray continually; 18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-
And there are three things I want to point out here.
#1. Be joyful always-notice he doesn’t say be happy all the time.
We are not going to be happy all the time, that’s just life.
But we can have joy at all times because we know that God is with us and that God cares for us.
#2. Pray continually-simply put have an attitude of prayer at all times.
Be in constant communication with God.
#3. Give thanks in all circumstance.
And what I want to point out here is Paul didn’t say “give thanks for all circumstance.”
That would be ridiculous, because sometimes our circumstances are just lousy.
We might as well be honest.
No, he says “give thanks in all circumstances,” which is very different.
Even in the most difficult circumstances of our lives, we can still give thanks to God because you know what....any circumstance here is just temporary anyway.
Anything that happens here is going to be dwarfed by the eternal glory we experience in heaven.
But these things are tough.
How do we get to a place where we can live our lives this way, EVERY day?
Paul tells us . . .
19 Do not put out the Spirit’s fire; 20 do not treat prophecies with contempt. 21 Test everything. Hold on to the good. 22 Avoid every kind of evil.
1 Thessalonians 5:
First, “don’t put out the Spirit’s fire.”
When the Spirit is moving, don’t pour water on Him.
Don’t dismiss that conviction.
Don’t ignore the Spirit.
Don’t suppress the Spirit.
Be obedient to the Spirit.
Second, “Do not treat prophecies with content.”
In other words, listen to God’s word.
Listen to God’s warnings.
Hear what God has to say.
Third, “Test everything.”
Don’t be gullible.
Be in tune with God and God’s word so that you can know the difference between good and bad.
Fourth, “Hold on to the good.”
And, fifth, “avoid every kind of evil.”
Keep your nose clean.
And if we can do that, then . . .
1 Thessalonians 5:23
Altar Call
Altar Call
23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.
Altar Call
Altar Call
The question though is, can we?
Or maybe the more relevant question should be, have we?
Have we been living our lives this way?
Or have we been living our lives given over to the way of the world?
Our Altar call is pretty simple this morning.
Basically it is this, the Holy Spirit is speaking to people right now, will you respond or will you quench the Spirit once again?
The altar is here, I would encourage you to use it.
Will you do that today?