God's Will for My Life

Well, in our sermon series right now, we're talking about prayer and how we should be

praying all kinds of prayers for all kinds of people.

Last Sunday, we heard from the Apostle John about how we should be, we can have confidence

in prayer.

Or we were reminded that we can have confidence that we will receive what we ask for when

we ask according to God's will, according to what God desires.

And I encouraged us last Sunday to be asking that question as we pray for people, for ourselves.

Lord, what is it that you want in this situation?

What do you desire?

What do you will?

What is your will?

That's a question that we often find ourselves asking.

God, what is your will for my life?

Especially when it comes time to make big decisions, whether that's career-related or family-related

or related to the business, the family farm.

God, what is your will?

We know that God knows the future.

We know that he knows which of the choices in front of us is best, that he desires what's

best for us.

Wouldn't it be nice if God just simply told us what his will is, what he wants us to do?

Well, there is a place in the scriptures where he does, very pointedly, very clearly.

And we're going to be looking at that this morning in 1 Thessalonians chapter 4.

1 Thessalonians 4 · chapter mention

So if you have your Bible with you, please open it up to 1 Thessalonians chapter 4.

1 Thessalonians 4 · chapter mention

1 Thessalonians chapter 4.

1 Thessalonians 4 · chapter mention

We'll start in verse 1.

Paul writes this to the Thessalonians.

It is God's will that you should be sanctified, that you should avoid sexual immorality.

That each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable,

not in passionate lust like the pagans who do not know God.

And that in this matter, no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister.

The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins as we told you and warned you before.

For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.

Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being, but God,

the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit.

So there it is stated for us so clearly.

Verse 3.

It is God's will that you should be sanctified.

Are you disappointed?

How are you hoping that that thought was going to go?

It is God's will that...

As important as career and family and whether to move and what to do with the family business are,

those things matter to God.

But far more important than those things is our sanctification, says Paul.

It is God's will that you should be sanctified.

Sanctification is not a word that we use very much outside of the church, outside of the Bible even.

Sanctification would be okay if our modern translations picked a different word that we use more frequently,

so that we understand that.

What does sanctification mean?

So, since it's used by all the translations, we better figure that out.

We better understand it.

The word sanctification comes from the Latin word sanctus, which means holy.

And that's actually the word that Paul uses here in the original language.

It's the word for holy or the word holiness.

In all the other places Paul uses, not all of them, but most of them,

it's simply translated as holy or holiness.

But here, it's translated sanctify.

Because in English, we can't just turn the word holy into a verb.

You know, if I'm going to talk about making something holy,

I would never say, I holified that thing.

But in the original language, the same word does double duty.

It works as a verb and a noun.

And so, in English, we have another word.

We say, I sanctified that.

Another way that we could say it in English is maybe I consecrated that.

I made it holy.

But however we translate it or paraphrase it, the meaning is essentially the same.

It is God's will that you should be sanctified, that you should be set apart,

that you should be made holy.

It's helpful to think of the word sanctuary.

It kind of has the same idea.

Whether we're talking about our church sanctuary or a wildlife sanctuary,

a sanctuary is a place that is set apart for a special purpose or in a special way.

This room in our church building is set apart for a special purpose,

for us to gather and to worship God.

A wildlife sanctuary is a place that is set apart so that in that area,

wildlife can flourish, not like in other areas where hunters and ATVs and everything

can rip it to shreds.

So we can kind of ask that question here.

What does Paul really mean by sanctify?

It is God's will that you should be sanctified.

What's he talking about here?

And we do have to be careful here.

If we're not careful, we can kind of get ourselves tied up in theological knots

because this word holy or holiness, sanctified, sanctification,

it's used in other places.

In some of those places, it's used to refer to how we are in the process of being set apart by God.

In some places, it's used to describe how we are at the end of the process,

set apart by God.

And in some places, it's used to refer to the whole thing without discrimination.

God has set us apart.

And so how do we wade through this?

Well, there's one question that we can just really simply ask here.

Paul has said it is God's will that you should be sanctified.

In what way does God want us to be set apart,

to be different from others, from the rest?

There's more than one true possible answer here,

but this morning we're only looking at Paul's answer in this specific case.

He actually tells us the kind of holiness that he's referring to.

He says this,

It is God's will that you should be sanctified,

that you should avoid sexual immorality,

that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable,

not in passionate lust like the pagans who do not know God.

And so we can see from the way Paul is using it,

what he is talking about.

What does it mean for us to be sanctified?

Paul's saying it's God's will that you live differently

from the rest, from others who don't know God.

God desires for there to be a difference between his people and the rest who don't know him.

He desires that there be a distinction in your life and how you live it

from the rest of our world who doesn't know him and doesn't believe in him.

Well, what is that distinction supposed to be?

Paul is writing very specifically to the Thessalonian church.

He's thinking through what are they going through in that city

from what he's heard about the news of them,

from what he knows about their church in that city.

And so top of his mind in this situation is sexuality.

He's thinking about their sexual conduct.

As a church, what should your sexual conduct look like

as you're surrounded there in Thessalonica by people who don't know God?

Paul says it is God's will that you should be sanctified,

that you should avoid or be far from sexual immorality.

The word that he uses to describe sexual immorality is porneia.

We get the word pornography from it.

It's used to refer to all kinds of sexual immorality, adultery,

cheating on your spouse, fornication,

sex with someone that you're not married to.

It's used to refer to homosexuality.

It's used to refer to taking advantage of another person sexually.

It's actually just kind of a cover-all reference

to any kind of sexual conduct or behavior

that is outside of God's good design

and intention for human sexuality.

Right from the beginning of the Bible

all the way through to the end,

we see that God's design and intention for human sexuality

is that it is something that is to be enjoyed

between a man and a woman

who are covenanted, committed to one another in marriage.

Everything outside of that is porneia,

is sexual immorality

against his design,

against his intention.

Paul actually gives us a bit of a glimpse

into our world's attitude

when it comes to sexuality.

In verses 4 and 5,

he describes how the Thessalonians should behave.

He says that you should learn to control your own body

in a way that is holy and honorable,

not in passionate lust like the pagans

who do not know God.

As a general principle,

those who do not know God

have a different sexual ethic

than we do.

They are characterized

by a lack of self-control

and by passionate lust,

says Paul.

Selfish sexual desire.

I have what I want.

I have my sexual needs.

And I want you to meet my needs,

to bring pleasure to me.

That's the mindset generally,

Paul points to,

of people in our world.

You even see a hint of that

down in verse 6,

where he says,

and that in this matter,

sexuality,

no one should wrong

or take advantage

of a brother or sister.

Here we are as the family of God,

but don't even think about

using the closeness

that we enjoy with one another

as the family of God,

the church,

to cozy up to someone else's wife

or someone else's husband.

Our world's attitude

is indulge

sexually

as far as you can,

as much as you can,

without running into the big problems,

the big consequences.

But of course,

there's always consequences

when we live contrary

and outside of God's design.

We could talk about

the damage

that sexual immorality

does

to a person's marriage.

We could talk about

the feelings of guilt,

of having betrayed

a trust

between you

and

your spouse.

We could talk about

families

that are ripped apart,

children that grow up

without

a mother or father

because their family

was destroyed

as a trust

was broken.

We could talk about

sexual addiction

and pornography

use.

there are always consequences

when we live outside

of God's

intended design

for sexuality.

Sexuality,

sexual intimacy

was made

to be enjoyed

between a man

and a woman

who are married

to one another.

And everything

outside of that

God has said

is off limits.

That's the specific way

that Paul

encourages them

to be

sanctified,

to be set apart,

to live

differently

than the people

around them

who don't know God.

But what I want us

to see here

this morning

is that this is about

more than sexuality.

That's Paul's

specific point,

his specific

application.

But actually,

God wants us

to be

different,

to be

set apart,

sanctified,

not just

when it comes

to our sexuality,

but when it comes

to every area

of our life.

He wants

to touch

and affect

every area

of our life.

Being a follower

of Jesus

should affect

every area

of our life,

not just

this area.

Whether it's

eating,

or drinking,

or work,

how we talk

to one another,

how we engage

in relationships,

God's desire

is that we would

be set apart,

that we would

be distinct

in every way.

And the rest

of the New Testament

letters are full

and Jesus'

teaching,

full of how

that affects

other areas

of our life.

Paul's just

focusing on

sexual immorality

here.

But the principle

is much bigger

than that.

God wants

there to be

a difference

between how

we live

and how

other people

who don't

know him

live.

when we hear

that,

when we hear

the word

holiness,

it can be

easy for a

little bit

of a grumbling

to rise in

our hearts.

Oh,

Pastor Josh,

stop telling

me about

all the

things that

I can't

do.

Why does

religion have

to be so

restrictive?

My answer

is that

it's not.

And as soon

as we start

thinking that

it is,

it's because

we're not

seeing clearly.

We're not

thinking straight.

We've bought

into the lie

that it really

is all about

me

and what

I desire.

Holiness

is not just

a list of

do's and

don'ts.

It's not just

a bunch of

rules,

rules to

keep.

It's so

much more

than that.

Look at how

Paul uses

that word

holiness

just a couple

verses prior

to this one.

Go back up

to chapter

3,

verse 13.

Here we

kind of

catch Paul

in the middle

of a prayer

for the

Thessalonians.

In my

Bible it

starts as a

new sentence

but it's

not.

It's actually

a continuation.

So that

he may

establish

your hearts

in

blamelessness

and holiness.

That's what

Paul wants

to see.

He wants

to see the

Thessalonians

hearts

established

in holiness.

There it is

again.

God desires

a holy

people.

A people

that are

different.

That are

set apart.

And so

what does

Paul ask

God to do

so that

they will

be

holy.

Look in

verse 12.

He says,

May the

Lord make

your love

increase

and overflow

for each

other and

for everyone

else so

that he

may establish

your heart

in holiness.

holiness.

The defining

feature of

a holy

life is

overflowing

love for

each other

and for

everyone.

It's not

just a list

of do's

and don'ts,

right and

wrong.

The defining

characteristic

of a holy

person is

someone who

truly loves

others

and everyone

who is

overflowing

with love.

Now we

look back

at what

Paul has

said about

sexual

immorality

and it

all kind

of makes

sense.

Sexual

immorality

is not

about love.

It's about

lust.

That's what

Paul has

said.

Passionate

lust.

He said,

don't take

advantage of

a brother

or sister.

that selfish

sexual

desire.

We were

not made

for

relationships

that are

characterized

by lust

and selfishness.

I'll scratch

your back

if you scratch

mine.

We were

made for

relationships

characterized

by love,

self-sacrifice,

service of

the other,

bringing joy

and pleasure

to the other,

not mainly

to ourselves.

God

desires

that his

people

be different

and the

defining

feature

of that

difference

is

overflowing

with love.

That's

what holiness

looks like

and this

is how

it plays

out

specifically

in

sexuality.

It means

sexual

intimacy

happens

in the

context

of

marriage.

loyalty

and

commitment

to one

another.

I'm going

to be

there

for you

in

sickness

and in

health

for richer

or for poorer

for better

or for worse.

Passionate

lust

doesn't give a

rip about

the other.

It's all

about what

can I get

out of

this.

spouse.

And if

you're not

going to

give it

to me

spouse

then I'm

going to

go find

it

somewhere

else.

And if

I'm not

married I'm

going to

go online.

I'm going

to find it

wherever I

can get

it and

I'll take

as much

of it

as I

can get

without

running

into those

consequences

that I

mentioned

earlier.

STIs,

unwanted

pregnancies,

emotional

weight of

guilt,

broken

family.

God's

saying I

want to

see a

difference

between

you,

my

people.

That's

what I

desire.

That you

should be

set apart,

different

from those

who don't

know me.

Not just

in sexuality

but as a

whole,

in general.

A people

overflowing

with love.

And that

translating out

into every

area of

our lives.

How we

work,

how we

play,

how we

relate to

people,

how we

talk to

people,

what we

say about

others when

they're not

listening.

All of

this leads

us to a

question.

How do

we achieve

this?

How do

we become

sanctified?

How do

we be

separated

and set

apart and

made

holy?

Is that

something that

we do?

Or is that

something that

God does?

Well,

first we have

to admit

there's no

way that

we can live

this kind

of holiness,

this kind

of overflowing

with love

for everyone

without God's

help.

love.

We need

God's

power

inside of

us,

working,

enabling us

to live

like this

because we're

hardwired,

we're bent

towards selfishness

and sin,

towards just

feeling like

we want

this and

then taking

it.

We can't

do this on

our own.

We need

God to do

this in us

and for us.

He is the

one who

sets us

apart,

who makes

us holy.

But notice

that it

doesn't say

it is God's

will that you

should be

sanctified,

so just

sit there

and relax

and wait

for Him

to set you

apart to

do it.

He doesn't

say that.

Immediately

following that,

He says

it's God's

will that you

should be

sanctified and

so avoid

sexual immorality.

learn to

control your

own body.

We have

responsibility

in it too.

It's not

just something

that we

just sit

back and

God does

it to us.

It's something

that He

works in

us and

we

participate

with Him

and live

it out

with His

enabling.

I like

the way

that He

says it

to the

church in

Philippi.

Work out

your salvation

with fear

and trembling

for it

is God

who works

in you

to will

and to do

according to

His good

pleasure.

It's both.

It's not

just God.

It's not

just me.

And it's

not 50-50.

Not God

does His

half and

we do

our half.

God gets

the credit

for all

of it

and our

part we

can only

do with

His help.

But it's

both.

Us being

set apart

is both

God's

work

and ours.

we actually

have to

make those

choices

to live

a holy

life.

To say

no to

temptation.

We're

talking about

prayer.

So what

does all

this have

to do

with

prayer?

We're

to pray

according

to God's

will.

prayer.

And here

in this

passage we

see at

least one

thing that

God desires

for us,

that He

wills for

us.

If you're

honest,

what is it

that you

want for

your life?

As you

think of

your life,

the days

ahead,

the years

ahead,

what is it

that you

want for

your life?

how does

that compare

to what

God has

said here

that He

wants and

that He

wills for

your life?

God desires

that we

live

differently,

that we

live lives

of overflowing

love towards

one another,

that there's

a distinction

between us

and those

who don't

know Him.

is that

what you

have been

asking God

to do

as you

pray?

Is that

what you've

been asking

God to

do for

other people

as you

think of

them and

the situations

they're going

through?

God cares

about what

I'm going

to call

the smaller

things,

which career

I have,

what job

I'm doing,

what to do

with the

family farm,

family

relationships

and decisions.

God cares

about those

things.

But even

more than

that,

He desires

that you

live

differently,

that you

be holy

compared to

those who

don't know

God.

Are you

asking God

to do that

for yourself?

are you

desiring

that for

yourself?

Are you

asking God

to do

that for

others?

It's great

to pray that

somebody who

lost their

job gets

a job,

but are you

praying that

God would

use that

situation to

set them

apart for

His purpose,

for what He

wants to do

in their life?

God is in

the business

of taking

for Himself

a people,

setting them

apart for a

special purpose

in a special

way.

Let's not

forget to

make that

part of what

we ask God

to do as we

pray all kinds

of prayers for

all kinds of

people.

Let's pray.

Father in

Heaven, we

thank You

for Your

Word.

It doesn't

always say

what we

expect or

want it to

say,

but we

trust that

You have

told us

exactly what

we need

to hear.

Lord,

even as we've

thought about

this this

morning a

little bit,

together we

invite You

to be doing

that work

in us,

setting us

apart.

We don't

want to be

the same as

everybody in

this community

who doesn't

know You.

We want to

be seen as

different because

of Your work

in us.

And so we

ask that You

would come,

that You

would change

our hearts,

that You

would fill us

with a love

for people,

that You

would give us

the courage to

say no,

to things

that are

wrong.

We desire

to please

You more

than ourselves.

You are our

God, You

are our

Savior, and

so come and

work in us

as a church.

Enable us

and empower

us to live

the different

life that You

have called us

to.

We ask this

in Christ's

name,

Amen.