While We Wait

Introduction:

Scripture Reading:

1 Thessalonians 4:9–12 KJV 1900

9 But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another. 10 And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more; 11 And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; 12 That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.

Proposition: There are three important expectations that are given to those who have put their faith in Jesus and wait upon His return.

Transition:

While we wait we are to increase in Christian Love

Exposition:

Paul states that he has no need to speak to them of brotherly love.

Everyone in the area knew by their actions that they had love for one another and all the believers in Macedonia.

However, Paul makes a great statement that makes sense even for us today…they were taught not by Paul but by God on what it means to love.

As a believer, the Holy Spirit impresses on your heart what true love really means, and He expects you not just to remain where you are but to grow in that sense of love.

Illustration-

John Phillips, an extraordinary preacher, commentator, and student of the Bible writes about a time when he served in the British army. Phillips writes “I was stationed on the Haifa docks. I found a fellowship of believers meeting in a small building on the lower slopes of Mount Carmel. What struck me most about that fellowship was the love that the believers showed toward one another and especially to me. In that small group of believers were Armenians, Russians, Jews, Arabs, Germans, Britons. In the world outside, these nationalities were at each other’s throats. In that fellowship, however, was love. It included people of different races and nationalities, different levels of education, and different strata of society. Some of them were strong Christians, some of them had suffered the loss of all things for Christ; others were weak Christians. Within that fellowship, I found love, hospitality, generosity, acceptance, encouragement, and lasting friendship. That’s the way it ought to be. We, like the Thessalonians, surely do not need to have someone to tell us that we should have warm, brotherly love toward our fellow Christians. We might not always be able to agree with them, but surely we can love them. God Himself teaches us that fact.”

Application-

Christian Love Reaches out:

to the weak

the friendless

the unfortunate

those who are sick or in need

It delights in hospitality- Are you warm, generous, friendly?

It is the evidence of genuine faith

Transition: So while we wait on the return of Jesus, we are to increase more and more in Christian love. The second expectation is to

While we wait we are to “stay in our lane”

Exposition: What exactly do I mean? Better yet what did Paul mean by this?

Study to be quiet-

This means to live a quiet life.

It has the sense of “to stay out of the limelight”

One way to put it oddly is to say make it your ambition to have no ambition.

God gets the glory not you.

Do your own business- literally means to mind your own business

Because of the fact they had been “waiting and watching” for the return of the king, they had apparently been watching everyone else as well and couldn’t wait to talk about it.

Nothing tears a church apart quicker than gossiping busybodies.

Illustration- I found these great illustrations about gossips that I thought I would share with you:

In a small village in which there was only one church that almost every member of the community attended, one woman made life difficult, often, by her constant prying into the affairs of her neighbors. One day when the rector of the church was trying to show the woman the harm she was doing, she said: “Oh well, just prying into my neighbors’ affairs isn’t as bad as what Mrs. So and So does. She gets drunk.” “Madam,” replied the rector, “Your sin is classed with murder, and with stealing, in God’s Word.”

Tale-bearing emits a threefold poison; for it injures the teller, the hearer and the person concerning whom the tale is told.—Spurgeon

A four-year-old boy decided that he’d make an attempt at reciting the prayer which he had heard in church. “And forgive us our trash baskets,” he asked, “as we forgive those who trash basket against us.”

Seen on a highway billboard in Indiana: “He who throws dirt loses ground.”

Application-

So What?

Gossip is like a fire. It can burn down a church with a single word.

It destroys relationships, trust, bonds that Christians have with one another.

Gossip ruins your testimony- Vs 12 gives the reason to the so what question “that you may walk properly toward those who are outside”.

Now What?- If you feel the need to gossip, don’t. As one person said, live a life that you wouldn’t be afraid to take the family parrot downtown and sell it.

Transition- While we wait we are to grow in Christian love and to stay in our lane. The final expectation is...

While we wait we are to avoid becoming idle

Exposition-

Work with our hands- work while we are able

Many had sold everything they had and had become idle in waiting for the return of Jesus.

To the point where they had become a burden on their brethren at the church.

Others had become dependent on the handouts of those with money.

Lack of nothing- Paul wanted them to understand that nothing good comes from becoming idle.

Illustration- Do not feed the bears

Application-

For us today, this is not an opportunity to twist scripture.

There are legitimate reasons why some can’t work. This scripture is pointing to those who can work but refuse to for one reason or another.

God gives us an opportunity to work so that we don’t lack anything we need. God will take care of us, but he expects us to work.

The same can be said for working in the church and serving.

There is no excuse for becoming idle. You are not here just to be served.

A church where the members become idle and never serve or only let the few handle everything is a church that is not just dying but is on life support.

This morning I ask you, have you become idle

Conclusion: God expects us to continue forward with the mission He has for us. We are to be watching and waiting for His return, but while we wait we must increase in love, stay in our lane, and avoid becoming idle. If we do this we will work until He comes and he will continue to bless your lives both physically and spiritually. Maybe you realize today that you have become idle, maybe you realize you too have grown cold and need to be revived to love people more or maybe you have made it a habit to get into other peoples business. Today is the day that you make a decision based on the word of God that makes an impact on your life and turns you into the direction that you need to be heading as you wait on the return of the King.