2010-02-21
1 Thessalonians - Walking in Love and Purity
Steve Lane

A. Introduction/Review

Acts 17: 1 - 9
He established the church, but had to leave sooner than he would have liked.

1 Thessalonians gives us a good picture of a vibrant, growing church and individual.

B. Faith, Love and Hope
Share the gospel and our lives as well. This is where the Thessalonians moved ahead.
You have this red-hot fire of a church with embers flying out, and starting other fires.
Persecution and spiritual warfare
God-centered friendship.
1 Thessalonians 3: 9 Eternally focused, and looking forward to that day.
Don't waste your life. Be sanctified — set apart as God's holy vessel for His purposes.
A picture of the church on fire, and then of how to live!

C. Live to Please God

1 Thessalonians 4: 1
Instruct, request, urge, command and exhort. How you ought to live to please God.
Growing more and more — abundantly excelling in holy living.

1 Thessalonians 4: 2
We have authority to tell you these things.

D. Sanctification and Sexual Purity

1 Thessalonians 4: 3
Sanctified - set apart for God's purposes; holy and pure, and growing in...
"I could never..." (1 Peter 1: 2 - 4; 1 Corinthians 6: 11)
The sin he focuses on here is a powerful one: sexual immorality.

1 Thessalonians 4: 4 - 7
Sexual immorality - porneia has destroyed many marriages and lives.
Do you want what we have talked about in chapter 1? (A church on fire in God's...)
If you are stuck in any sexual sin, get some help.
If you are single...
Homosexuality is growing exponentially. (OT and NT in Romans 1: 24 - 27)
Whatever your particular battle, you are not the only one fighting to resist.
Sexual sin is powerful. It's Satan's big lie, and it destroys. But, there is victory.
Satan can never create - only pervert. God designed...
1 Corinthians 7: 3 - 5 It is true that we have a responsibility to help one another.
We are set aside for the purposes of God. We are called to these purposes and sanctification.

E. Abounding in Love

Their love contributed immeasurably to the fire in Thessalonica.

1 Thessalonians 4: 9 - 10
These verses draw on an example of love: Stephen.
Do you think that kind of love would contribute to revival?
When you feel insulted, disrespected, or treated unfairly...
And, what if we loved the lost the same way that God loves the lost?

I urge and plead with you to take this to God—apply faith and submit to God.

F. Conclusion

We can grow in love. With this in mind, go to:
Galatians 2: 20
Romans 6: 11
Romans 11: 1 - 2

I urge you to pursue and grow more in love and purity.