A Maturing Faith Pt 2, A Practical Walk

Take your Bibles this morning, turn it over to 1 Thessalonians chapter 4.

1 Thessalonians 4 · chapter mention

1 Thessalonians chapter 4 as we began last week looking at a maturing faith and what it takes

1 Thessalonians 4 · chapter mention

! And we talked about a pleasing walk with the Lord, you know, and involving that walk that is with the Lord.

And we looked at a term last week called sanctification.

And the importance of that and that there's three dynamics of sanctification mentioned within the Scripture.

And so the first one was that positionally, that's when you accept Christ as Savior, you're accepted in the beloved.

You know, that you have security in Christ that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved, the Bible tells us.

It makes those things very clear and we see that's positional.

And then we have practical sanctification.

That's how God changes us and matures us in this life.

If you're saved, we're stuck in the practical part.

Okay?

This is where we live.

We live in the practical.

How do you apply God's truths practically in our life?

But also we see that perfect sanctification that he's told us one day will be conformed to his image, will be changed, will be different.

The things of this life will no longer be a concern.

That's perfect.

But we're going to talk today a little more because Paul draws us back to the importance of practical sanctification.

What does some of those things look like practically?

You know, because we all know that it's easy to speak about high things and, you know, what expectations are and what way we'd like things to be.

But, you know, the reality is life is filled with practical things.

How do we apply it?

How do we live those things practically in our life?

And how does this practical sanctification not only affect us, what does it look like within us, but also how does it affect others?

Because both those are true.

And we're going to see Paul today is going to draw that attention to the church there at Thessalonica, those believers.

And I want you to remember as we get ready to get into this that Paul had commended them.

He said, you guys have displayed love.

You've been faithful.

You've been steadfast.

You've been steadfast.

You've endured tribulation.

You've endured trials.

You've endured those things.

But he said, you know what?

You're still in it.

You know, I want you to understand that oftentimes you might come over one hurdle in life and realize that there's just another hill.

You know, you get over one to realize there's one again on the other side.

That's the practical realities of life.

You know, in this life, we're going to have all those challenges.

We're going to have those things.

And we're going to have to continue to grow because maturing in the faith is that practical application, a practical walk before the Lord and before others.

Because in this life, what we do as believers not only affects us, but affects others around us.

And we always need to keep those things in mind.

It's not just one-sided.

It's not just about us, but it's about the Savior.

And it's about what he has done for not only you, but for others.

And that application we're going to see here this morning because Paul had some practical application of sanctification in their lives.

That practical sanctification.

How are we maturing?

How are we growing in the things of the Lord?

How are we moving forward in that?

And there arose among the believers at Thessalonica.

You know, how do we apply those things today?

You know, if we're to please the Lord in what we do, it's a question.

The practical side is what does that look like?

Because when we don't understand what it looks like, we get all sorts of different ideas that are contrary to what God has said.

Because we will fill the practical with something.

The question is, are you going to fill it with what God has described?

Are we going to fill it with what the world prescribes?

What the expectations?

So we need to understand what is that expectation and practical dynamic that we're looking at in our relationship with our Savior.

It's a practical part of sanctification.

It's the part where we are maturing and growing.

You know, growth always involves being stretched out farther than you think you can.

It involves conflict.

It involves all sorts of issues.

Because unless there's resistance, you don't build strength.

Oftentimes we forget that.

We all want the easy road.

But you know what?

If you sit on the couch and eat cookies all day and drink soda, guess what?

You're going to get fat.

You're not going to get strong.

Resistance and the dynamics of life build strength.

The same is true physically that it is spiritually.

And God allows some things into our life for that reason.

And we're going to find here, if you found 1 Thessalonians chapter 4, let's stand together this morning.

1 Thessalonians 4 · chapter mention

We're going to pick up here in verse 9 here this morning.

Read down through verse 12.

But if you want to follow along in your Bible this morning, and notice what it says here.

But as touching brotherly love, need not that I write unto you.

For you yourselves are taught of God to love one another.

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.

And that ye study to be quiet and to do your own business and to work with your own hands as we commanded you.

That ye may walk honestly towards them that are without and that you may have lack of nothing.

Let's pray.

Heavenly Father, as we come before you this morning, Lord, we just thank you for all that you've done for us.

Lord, all that you give to us.

Lord, we pray just have your hand upon the message here today, Lord, as we look at some things practically.

Even as we enter into a new year, Lord, of applying these truths, not for last year, but for what's ahead.

Lord, we know that last year is behind and we have a new year ahead.

Lord, help us to look forward to serving and walking and being practical in our walk with you.

That we might apply those truths that you reveal to us today in your word, Lord.

That we might make them practical in our lives, Lord.

That they might play out not only to honor you, but also mature us.

And Lord, to be an impact upon others also.

And Lord, we just ask all these things in your precious name.

Amen.

You may be seated.

You know, we know here as we remember Timothy had brought back a good report from Thessalonica about the believers.

You know, they'd been faithful to the Lord, you know.

But it was a great beginning.

But now they had to continue to grow and to mature in the Lord.

You know, the one thing that you find over time, it's oftentimes easy to grow to a point and then get comfortable.

That's a dangerous place for a believer.

You know, there's a lot of people that call upon the Lord, they get saved, they begin to serve the Lord,

then it just kind of plateaus.

And they start doing life.

You know, I've checked all the right boxes.

But they forget God doesn't want us or expect us or even desire for us to be static.

God desires for us to grow and to mature.

Because remember, Paul had heard the report of how loving they had been, how they had responded to it.

They'd done all the right things.

But I want you to see here something very important.

Look down here at the end of verse 10.

He tells them all these things.

And now notice he says, that ye what?

Increase more and more.

In other words, he says, being static isn't where you ought to be.

You know, we need to understand the importance of growth, that practical application.

You know, because otherwise we get to a place where we just justify our choices and responses.

We get just holy enough to get by.

You end up with one foot in the world and one foot in the things of God.

You say, I can balance this and make everybody happy and look good.

You know what?

That's being static in your faith.

Because the more your faith grows, the more you ought to move out of the things

and the moorings of this world into the things that God would have.

As we let go of those things.

But oftentimes, you know, this is not a problem just in biblical times.

But, you know, take a look over in 1 Corinthians chapter 3 for a moment.

1 Corinthians 3 · chapter mention

Because Paul's talking to the church at Corinth.

You know, and Corinth had some problems.

But it's interesting that here's a church that didn't have any problems at Thessalonica today.

And Paul is telling them the same thing in maybe a little bit different way.

But he's telling them the same thing.

You know, you have to keep growing.

Look what it says here in chapter 3 in verse 1.

He says, and I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal,

even as unto babes in Christ.

Think about what he's saying there.

He says, hey, you guys have become static.

You're not growing.

You're not doing what you ought to do.

He says, I have fed you with milk and not with meat.

For hitherto you were not able to bear it, neither yet are ye able.

You know, when you consider here, he says, hey, you guys should be growing up by now,

but you're still babies.

You know, we expect little ones to act immature.

But you know what?

Immaturity, the things that a 3-year-old does doesn't look very good on a 13-year-old.

The things a 13-year-old doesn't look very good on a 23-year-old.

The things of a 23-year-old don't look very good in their choices when you're 43 or 53.

Why?

Because there's an expectation of what?

Maturity.

And we have to continue to grow and to mature.

We notice here, look at verse 3.

It says, for ye are yet carnal, whereas there's among you envying and strife and divisions,

and ye are not carnal, and walk as men.

You know?

In other words, you've got one foot in the world and it causes a problem.

The issue that he's dealing with here is the same one he's encouraging the church at Thessalonica

practically to apply in their lives, and that's to walk in harmony.

Because a practical walk involves walking in harmonious love and the right kind of love.

Okay?

Because what produces harmony in our walk?

Brotherly love.

Notice what he tells them there.

Look here in verse 9.

Back in our text here in 1 Thessalonians, it says,

But as touching brotherly love, we need not that I write unto you,

for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.

And indeed you do it towards all the brethren, which are in all Macedonia,

but we beseech you, brethren, that you increase.

In other words, he says, you know what you ought to do, or are you going to continue to do it?

You know, that's a practical application, isn't it?

Because the reality is we can know to do something and not do it.

We do it all the time in life.

You know?

It's a reality, but he says this is brotherly love,

this genuine kindness towards others.

This has to do with like a family type love.

As a church, we have to have a brotherly love one for another.

A genuine concern for each other.

That's a practical application.

It's the mindset, the direction that we're looking here.

That's that brotherly love.

And have you noticed that sometimes it can be easier to be more kind to strangers than it is family?

I'll just state the truth.

You know, sometimes it's easier to be kind to a stranger than it is your family.

You know why?

Because the families around you all the time, they know how to push your buttons.

Or they do things that you don't approve of, or you don't think are right,

or all the different dynamics, or maybe it's personalities or directions,

and it causes friction and conflict.

You know what?

As a body of believers, those same elements are going to come about.

Family is going to have some conflict.

But God says that we have to love one another.

That's the practical.

How do you love in spite of conflicts that come?

You know, think about what Jesus tells his disciples here in John chapter 13.

John 13 · chapter mention

John chapter 13 and verse 34 says,

John 13 · chapter mention

A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another as I have loved you,

that ye also love one another.

Now, when you stop and think about what Jesus is telling his disciples here,

this is the 11.

Judas has already departed.

And, you know, sometimes we think the disciples just sat around and sang kumbaya all the time.

You know, in that picture you get, everything was just smooth around Jesus.

When you start reading about what goes on in the conflict,

you know, why do you think Peter came and asked,

Lord, how many times do I have to forgive him?

It's probably because somebody else in the group made Peter mad or offended Peter.

Lord, I know he's one of us, but how often do I have to forgive him?

You know what, if you understand and study the disciples,

they were a very unlikely group.

Before Christ, they had nothing to do with one another.

Matter of fact, it amazes me when you start studying the disciples

that one of them was a zealot.

One of them was a tax collector.

Now, to us, that's just like, oh, that's just political ideals or things.

I want you to understand, in Jesus' day,

the zealots would literally kill tax collectors

because they thought they sold out to the Romans.

You want a political buttheads right there?

But what brought them together?

What made them serve together?

It wasn't who they were,

but it's who their Savior was.

And they had to practice practical sanctification.

They had to practically put together,

how do I love somebody that I don't agree with?

Say, preacher, that's tough.

Yeah, that's growing and maturing

when you can walk through those things to understand

because I want you to know here this morning

that Jesus instructed his disciples.

He looked at them before he was getting ready to depart.

He says, guys, I know there's problems

amongst your thinking,

but you need to learn to love one another.

It's important.

It's essential.

You know, it's difficult,

but we're supposed to seek

the well-being of others.

Even in life,

sometimes they're going to let us down.

Sometimes they're going to offend us.

That's when Jesus said,

you have to keep the right mindset about those things.

That's maturing in the Lord

because one says,

I'm going to let my emotions run away,

and the other says,

I'm going to accept my responsibility

and think,

I'm going to ask the Lord

to help me to think differently.

That's the reason Paul told him.

He said,

he commends them for their love

and then he turns around and says,

but you just began.

Your love,

in order to have harmony among you,

must increase

to go more and more.

You know, think about Matthew 18 there

when Peter came to Jesus.

In verse 21,

it says,

Lord, how oft shall my brother

sin against me

and I forgive him?

Seven times?

You know,

we can spend a little time here,

but you know,

Peter's kind of building himself up.

I've already done seven times.

And Moses would say,

you know,

somebody that made you upset

or did something to you seven times,

I'm done with them.

Look what Jesus responded to him.

Jesus,

I'll put it this way.

Look what Jesus said unto them.

And tell him,

I find it,

that those things pop up very quickly.

As we get ready to go into a new year,

you know,

there's things that happened last year

that need to be put away.

Things that need to be dealt with.

You know,

because there's nothing that destroys harmony

quicker than criticism,

grumbling,

complaining,

gossip,

selfishness,

personal agendas.

All those things

are impactful in it.

And this personality conflict,

you know,

I want you to understand

when Jesus is looking,

he knows there's going to be

a problem between them

because of who they are.

You know,

we all understand

exactly what I'm talking about.

Sometimes personality

is relevant

because of the way you're wired.

But we need all the people

wired different ways.

So God made us

a different and unique person

and all of us have elements within

that need to be tested

and conformed to His.

That's the reason

but we're all different

and that causes questions.

Immature believer

starts pouting

and putting up

and doing all sorts of issues

and complaining

and murmuring

and gossiping

about what somebody else is.

The mature believer says,

Lord,

what's my part?

How do I need to mature?

How do I need to love them?

To consider

how are we thinking

and working through

those things practically?

Because I want you

to understand

that, you know,

last year

and this year

and the year after that

the Lord tarries.

The question is not

will these occur

but what are you going to do

when they do?

What or how

will you respond?

Will you respond

carnally in the flesh

as Paul talks about

the church at Corinth

or in an encouragement

as he does here

in Thessalonians

to encourage them

to increase more and more?

He says,

you haven't reached

the pinnacle of it.

You haven't fulfilled

everything

that my command

to love one another means.

He says,

you need to grow

and you need to mature.

That's a practical walk.

You know,

the answer is

to increase

more and more.

In other words,

when somebody offends you

you need to look at it

and say,

Lord,

how do I need

to walk through this?

What area in my life

or understanding

of loving somebody

do I need to mature?

Maturity

is critical.

That practical walk

will involve

harmony

with other believers

which includes

forgiving one another.

Not just once

but continually.

You know,

you can hinder

brotherly love

among believers

when you harbor

things from the past.

What someone said

or did

are the opposite

of what someone

did not do

or say

when you thought

they ought to.

You know,

I find more times

people get offended

over what didn't happen

because they look at it

and say,

well,

they must have

did this intentionally

to me.

Now,

sometimes it's easier

for people

to process

an actual slight

to them

than it is

when they have

an expectation.

Our expectations,

well,

they ought to.

You know what?

When we look at it

correctly,

you know what?

Somebody else

might not have done

what they're supposed

to do.

You know what?

You probably haven't

done some of the things

you've got to do.

That's the reason

we can forgive them.

We can move on.

We're supposed to have

the harmony

that Paul's talking

about here

amongst believers.

It's something

that needs to happen

continually.

You know?

You can hinder

brotherly love

among believers

when you harbor things,

but we need to

understand

either way

it hinders the love

that God commands

every believer

to have.

Look over to

Proverbs chapter 10

Proverbs 10 · chapter mention

for a moment.

Proverbs chapter 10

Proverbs 10 · chapter mention

here in verse 12.

We see over here

something very clear

in the word of God.

It tells us this.

It says,

Hatred stirreth up strife.

Hatred stirreth up strife.

Now notice the last part

of that.

But love

covereth all

sins.

There's a practicality

right there

in that proverb.

That we allow

past things

to harbor.

Now,

I just want to make

something clear.

There's some things

that people

need to make right

in life.

We need to let

those things

of the past

be passed

and press forward

to the mark

as Paul tells us.

We need to understand

that, you know,

we need the harmony

in the year to come.

We need to increase

in our love

one for another.

No matter what,

we still need to improve

to increase

more

and more.

You know,

1 Peter chapter 1

1 Peter 1 · chapter mention

tells us this

in verse 22.

Seeing ye have purified

your souls

in obeying the truth

through the Spirit

unto what?

Unfeigned love

of the brethren.

See that ye love

one another

with a pure heart

fervently.

Now,

notice where it starts.

It starts with

obeying the truth.

What's he talking

about there?

Obeying the instruction

of the Word of God.

To say what God

has said

supersedes my feelings.

I want to say

that strikes pretty hard

at us, doesn't it?

Because you know what?

Our feelings

don't always align

with what God tells us.

The question is,

at that point,

is who's in charge?

If you say that

Jesus is in charge,

who are you going

to obey?

If you say,

Jesus,

you're not in charge,

you're going to say,

I'm going to obey myself.

Really,

what Peter's talking about

here is something

very clear.

It's a matter of authority.

Who gets authority?

Yourself or God?

The love of the brethren

is the determination

of saying,

who's in authority?

Who is there?

Who's walking through that?

You know,

a practical walk

we see here

not only needs harmony,

but also involves

a honest work.

You know,

doing this isn't easy.

You know,

a practical walk,

it takes work,

it takes labor.

Notice what Paul

tells him here.

This honest work.

Look down here

in verse 11

of our text.

It says,

and that ye study

to be quiet

and to do your own business

and to work with your own hands

as we have commanded you.

You know,

as you read this,

it seems like Paul

makes a shift here

that's like,

well,

where do these two things

intersect?

He's telling you

to increase more

and more in love

and then get to work

and be quiet.

You're saying,

how in the world

does that connect?

Let me tell you,

it does connect.

Because it involves

what you do,

how that plays out.

The instructions here

are very clear.

He tells them,

study to be quiet

and to do your own business.

You know what it does?

It directly connects

to what you do

will either help

increase that love

or hinder it.

This is not a

one-sided dynamic.

Now let me give you

a little lesson here.

You see that word ye?

Whenever you see that

in the scripture,

it's a word

that a lot of people

that, you know,

modernize,

they want to just put

you there.

But ye is a little different.

Ye is a plural

that includes you.

Ye includes you

and you

and you

and you

and you

It bunches us all together.

The word ye

puts us on the same playing field

with the same responsibility.

Yes,

it's for you,

but it's also for the other person.

It's for everybody together.

It's a collective type

dynamic of a word.

It's the application

is for everyone.

And it's everyone

doing their part.

Now this is where

it gets sticky

because

this is where this is

Paul's playing this out

practically

because I want you

to notice here

he doesn't say

if the other person

does it,

you do this.

He says this is your part.

This is what's expected

of you

no matter what

somebody else does.

That's the hard part

isn't it?

Because our emotions

say if they do

I will

God says

you need to do

whether they do

or not.

Now I want you to see

here this idea

of study to be quiet.

Now

that can be

taken literally

of just

keep your mouth shut

but this is another

one of those phrases

that means more

the idea here

is

you don't need

to stir the pot

meddling and provoking.

You know what

there's some good

meddlers and provokers.

I've met some

masterful people

they're pretty

coy at it too.

You know

they walk in

and stir the pot

and walk out

all happy.

But study to be quiet

says you intentionally

not stir

the pot

that doesn't need.

Don't poke

somebody

just

you know

there's a lot of times

it causes problem

is that somebody

did that to me

so I'm going to

poke them back

I'm going to

cause a reaction.

I'm going to

get even.

Study to be quiet

means I'm going to

keep my mouth shut

I'm going to

take it to the Lord

I'm going to

deal with it

properly

instead of just

provoking

a problem.

I'm not going to

stir something

intentionally

that's going to

cause a disruption

in our ability

to love one another.

You know

this is a problem

that persisted

you know

over in 2 Thessalonians

2 Thessalonians 3 · chapter mention

chapter 3

in verse 11

Paul writes

them later

and he says

for we hear

there are some

which walk

among you

disorderly

working not at

all but are

what?

Busy bodies.

Paul was trying

to head off

a problem

but you know

what?

The same

problem he had

with the church

at Thessalonica

is the same

problem we have

today.

People can be

told but people

don't listen.

Let's look at it

on the other side

on the positive

side of that

look over to

Romans chapter 12

Romans 12 · chapter mention

Romans chapter 12

Romans 12 · chapter mention

and verse 18

tells us this

if it be possible

as much as

why it in you

live peaceably

with all men.

That's the positive

side of what Paul

said.

The negative

side is you're

not obeying

and you're being

a busy body

and you're causing

conflict and strife

and stirring

things up.

The practical

side for us

is if it be

possible.

In other words

there's some

things you can't

avoid.

Some things do

need to be dealt

with.

The point here

is you don't

intentionally stir

it up just

stir the pot

and walk away.

I'll put it

this way.

If you stir

the pot you

better sit

around.

That's the

biblical.

If there's a

problem it

tells us to

go to our

brother or

sister and

do it.

It doesn't

say accuse

them and walk

away.

It says what

to make

reconciliation.

That's that

practical dynamic

that Paul's

talking about

here and as we

move into a

new year I

want you to

understand the

devil loves to

stir things up

but our first

choice as believers

needs to desire

not to create a

problem or to

do the things

that intentionally

cause unneeded

issues were to

walk in a meek

and quiet spirit.

Look what Peter

says over in

1 Peter chapter

1 Peter 3 · chapter mention

3 in verse 4

it says but let

it be the hidden

man of the heart

in which is not

corruptible even

the ornament of a

meek and quiet

spirit which in the

sight of God is of

great price.

Now often times I

think we overlook

what Peter wrote

later in his life

because you look

in the gospels

Peter was the

one who always

opened his mouth

at the wrong

moment.

Peter stirred the

pot a lot.

You know what

Peter says when I

matured I understood

the practical

sanctification of

being conformed to

his image by

changing.

A little later in

that same chapter

verse 15 he

says but sanctify

the Lord God in

your hearts and be

ready always give

an answer to every

man that asketh

you a reason of

the hope that is

in you with what

meekness and fear.

Meekness towards

men and fear

towards God.

When we understand

that humility of

our own selves and

notice here it says

your own business.

Today we would say

it this way be quiet

and mind your own

business.

You know what most

of us have enough

things in life to

deal with we don't

need to try to stir

somebody else's up.

You know we have

enough of our own

problems not to try

to inflate somebody

else's.

You know why does

God command this

because too many

are busy bodies and

meddling the affairs

of others.

What is it that

causes a person to

meddle in the affairs

of others?

A critical nature.

A critical nature

because they want to

assess everybody

else and cut right

along with that is a

failure to see your

own problem.

A lack of dealing

with their own

affairs properly.

You know oftentimes

people if they don't

do things right they

want to cause everybody

else to be disrupted

too.

The fourth thing you'll

find is a lack of

something productive to

do.

If you got time to

stir somebody else's

pot means you ain't

busy enough.

Because you know what

when you're busy about

what you're supposed to

be busy about you have

a lot less time to pay

attention to everybody

else.

You're doing what's

right.

The solution here is

simple.

Notice what he says

here in the end of

verse 11.

And to work with your

own hands as we

commanded you.

The next direction is

that to work.

The solution is simple.

Get busy.

You know one of the

best ways for believers

to love and to learn

to love one another

and that's to serve

the Lord together.

Be busy together.

To not be focused on

personality and all the

side things going on

but say hey how can we

work together to

accomplish what God

wants us to accomplish.

Are we going to do

our part?

You know the problem

with that is today many

people think that work

is part of the problem.

I want you to understand

work was not part of the

curse.

Let me just clarify

something for you.

Toil and sweat were

part of the curse.

Work was not.

Go back to Genesis.

Even before the fall

God told Adam to dress

and keep the garden.

What did you come?

Go prune the trees.

Go keep things picked up.

Go deal with the things

that need to be dealt

with.

In other words

Adam had a work

assignment to keep

after the curse

is when sweat and

toil were added.

Instead of doing it

with joy.

But you know what?

We can serve the Lord.

We can work for the Lord

with joy because of

what Christ has done

for us.

It's a change of

perspective.

You know?

The job you do

and what you accomplish

not only affects you

but others also.

You know look back

in chapter 2 of

1 Thessalonians.

Look at verse 9

when Paul says this.

He says for you

remember brethren

our labor and travail

for laboring night

and day because we

would not be chargeable

unto any of you.

We preached unto you

the gospel of God

and your witnesses

and God also

how holy and justly

and unblameably

we behaved ourselves

among you

that believe.

In other words

Paul said there was

a need for me

to take care of myself

in this situation

and he said

I got to work.

You know one of the

problems in our society

some people think

they're above

no matter what

your position

high or low

God expects us

to work.

Every believer

is to pull their own

weight according

to their ability.

You know one thing

about that today

often times people

look at the church

as a charity organization.

You know I get

calls all the time

first of the month

it's just a perpetual.

Can you give me

money?

Can you give me money?

Have you ever been

to church?

Nope.

But you're supposed

to give it to me.

It's like you have

a wrong perspective.

You have a wrong

perspective.

They come with an

attitude of give me

what I need because

I failed to do

what was right myself.

You know often times

it's not a matter

of a lack of money

it's a matter of

either they're lazy

or they don't manage.

I'll just come out

and say it.

Now I want to understand

there's sometimes

people just need help.

And we ought to be

willing to help

because sometimes

life happens.

I mean life can go

upside down in a

heartbeat that's

like things go

all sorts of crazy.

You know we've

even amongst

our church body

here we know

that happens.

But those are

unique situations

outside of their

control and not

because of what

they chose to do.

That's two

different things.

That's a totally

different dynamic.

You know because

we need to look

after others and

help when the need

is genuine.

Yet we are not

to enable others

to continue

failing to work

or properly use

their resources.

You know think

about what Paul

tells them in

Ephesus.

He says let

him that stole

steal no more

but rather let

him labor

working with his

hands in the

one thing which

is good that he

may have to give

to them him

that need it.

First Timothy

1 Timothy 5 · chapter mention

chapter 5 he

says this

but if any

provide not for

his own and

specifically of

those of his

own house he

hath denied the

faith and is

worse than an

infidel.

Now that's one

that's not popular

preaching but you

know what it's

biblical truth

because you

fail to do

what you're

supposed to

do.

Later in

2 Thessalonians

2 Thessalonians 3 · chapter mention

chapter 3 Paul

commends them

later says

now them that

are such we

command and

exhort by our

Lord Jesus

Christ that

with quietness

they work and

eat their own

bread but ye

brethren be not

weary in

well doing.

You know we

can talk a lot

more about the

verses here that

apply to this.

The Bible is

filled with

verses about our

responsibility and

our work.

But you know

what the reality

is you work

because you

love others.

Your desire to

provide is a

loving thing.

That's how work

is tied to

love.

You put forth

those things

that are needful.

You know I

believe that every

Christian should

have some type

of activity

whereby he's

doing something

not only tangible

to produce for

himself but

something that's

tangible to

produce for God.

You know when

we realize

hey got a

one-eyed

spectacle.

I want you to

understand that

we ought to be

doing something

tangible for

God.

There's a broken

idea today that

success means

less work

especially

laborsome work

but when you

recall that God

sent his son

think about that

Jesus came in

the form of a

servant.

What did he do?

He was born the

son of a

carpenter.

You know what

the very savior of

the world worked

with his hands.

You think about

that that he

worked with

hands.

Who did he

pick for many

of his

disciples and

apostles?

Fishermen.

They went out

and worked.

Who did he

call as a

great missionary

a tent maker?

Work is not

something that's

put away.

It's something

that is expected.

Love and work

walk together

that both those

that are of the

household of faith

and those without

to walk honestly.

You know this is

also something that

the saints of God

need to do today

is to gain the

respect and

confidence of

mankind.

Our walk should

be honest before

both God and

men.

Notice verse 12

that you may walk

honestly toward them

that are without

that you may have

lack of nothing

that you may be

complete.

That's growing in

the sanctification

and the things of

God.

Your sanctification

is practical in

both our love for

others and for us

to fulfill our

responsibilities.

You know I want

to encourage you

as you begin a

new year where

you consider how

your love and

your work tie

together.

Because both of

these are essential

for you to grow

or increase more

and more.

For you to mature.

That you have lack

of nothing.

That's just not

material things.

That's emotional

and spiritual things.

I want you to

understand that's

maturity.

This morning

is there something

that the Lord

has brought to

mind that needs

to be dealt

with as we begin

a new year?

Maybe it's

something from

a relationship

that needs

mended,

forgiveness given,

attitudes changed.

Or is there

work that needs

to be accomplished

for your benefit

and others?

Is there an area

of faith that you

need to step out

and trust the Lord

to say Lord

I'm going to

step out and do

what you've asked

me to do.

But you know

maybe you're here

today and it's

just a matter

of simple

faith at that

starting point

do you need

to be saved?

Because all this

is irrelevant

if there's never

been a point

in time

when you understood

who you were

a sinner before

God and that

God provided

a Savior for you

and that you

responded to it

by faith.

Say Lord

I just don't

know here

I want to live

it out here.

The reality

of what you've

done for me.

Maybe there's

an area you just

need to be obedient.