April 8, 2018 Pastor Jim Cecy

Gleanings from Paul’s Epistles “Step by Step to the Finish Line” 1 Thessalonians 4:1-2 Introduction: Our Spiritual Walk • Romans 6:4 “…Christ was raised from the dead…so we too might walk in newness of life.” • 2 Corinthians 5:7 “…we walk by faith, not by sight…” • Galatians 5:25 “If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. (cf. Gal 5:16) • Ephesians 2:10 “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works…that we should walk in them.” • Ephesians 4:1 “I…entreat you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called…” • Ephesians 4:17 “…walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind…” • Ephesians 5:2 “walk in love, just as Christ also loved you…” • Ephesians 5:8 “…walk as children of light…” • Ephesians 5:15 “Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, but as wise…” • Philippians 3:17 “…Brethren…observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us.” • Colossians 1:10 “…walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects… • Colossians 2:6 “As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him…” • 1 Thessalonians 2:12 “…walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.”

I. Introduction to Paul’s First Epistle to the Thessalonians Regarding the apostle Paul’s second missionary journey (Acts 15-18) of about 4,000 miles roundtrip... A. The City of Thessalonica • located on the east coast of Aegean Sea across the bay from Mount Olympus, home of Zeus • city of some 200,000 people located along the Egnatian Way, a major east-west trade route. B. The Church in Thessalonica cf. Acts 17 Paul sends Timothy to find out how the new believers in Thessalonica are doing (1 Thess. 3:1-2, 5-6). He is amazed at the report group of Christ-followers, who were only six months old in the Lord. They were faithfully following Christ, even in the midst of great persecution. (1 Thess. 2:14; 3:3; 3:5). He writes two letters to the Thessalonians—in a span of a few weeks. C. The First Epistle to the Thessalonians • Chapter 1—He thanks God for their faith, hope and love and how they had turned to God from idols to serve the true God • Chapters 2 -3—He defends his apostleship against the attacks made about him by the Jews and the Greeks. • Chapter 4—He becomes very fatherly, answering questions these new believers had about “walking” in Christ.

II. A Special Message from 1 Thessalonians “Step by Step to the Finish Line” (1 Thessalonians 4:1-2) 1 Thessalonians 4:1-2 “Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you excel still more.” We need someone to come along side us and encourage us to pursue “a more excellent walk.”

A. The Encouragements from the Apostle Paul Encouragement # 1 “You are walking well.” 1 Thessalonians 4:1 “Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk)… e.g. The Power of an Encouraging Word: The Story of Eric Liddell

Encouragement #2 “Even though you are doing well. I want you to do even better!” 1 Thessalonians 4:1 “…that you may excel still more.” 1 Thessalonians 4:10 “But we urge you, brethren, to excel still more…” Paul knew that the Christian life is not a single walk around the block once a week. It’s a daily walk—a lifelong marathon. There is always another step to take and race to run.

Hebrews 12:1 “... let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.” 1 Corinthians 9:24 “Run in such a way that you may win.” cf. Philippians 3:12-17 1 Thessalonians 4:1 “….excel still more…” i.e. excellence beyond excellence... We are to take another step in excelling in personal and global ministry by excelling to know our God more fully, displaying God’s strength more humbly, and taking action more faithfully.

B. The Commandments of the Lord Jesus 1 Thessalonians 4:2. “For you know what commandments we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.” The Ten Commandments can be broken down to two basic categories 1. The four commandments related to our walk with God: Do not worship any other god • Do not make any idol • Do not misuse the name of God (i.e. take His name in vain • Keep the Sabbath holy 2. The six commandments related to our walk with our fellow man: Honor your father and your mother • Do not murder • Do not commit adultery • Do not steal • Do not lie • Do not covet Matthew 22:36-40 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And He (Jesus) said to him, “‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.” Paul is calling us to excel in loving the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and to excel in loving our neighbor as ourselves. 1 John 2:6 “…the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.” 2 John 1:6 “And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments.” A. Ephesians 5:2 “…walk in love, just as Christ also loved you…” An Overview of 1 Thessalonians 4-5: Paul continues his letter to the Thessalonians, calling us all to excel even more… • …in our commitment to personal purity and holiness (4:3-8) • …in our brotherly love for one another (4:9-10) • …in making sure we lead quiet and disciplined lives (4:11-12) • …in our understanding of what happens to believers who die and those who are alive when the Lord returns (4:13-18) • …in comforting and building up one another in our assurance of what will happen in the end times (5:1-11) • …in our appreciation and treatment of spiritual leaders (5:11-13) • …in how we minister to our fellow Christians (5:14-15) • …in our praise, prayer and thanksgiving (5:16-18) • …in our allowing the Holy Spirit to move in our midst (5:19-20) • …in examining everything carefully (5:21) • …in abstaining from evil (5:22) Conclusion: The journey to become like Jesus begins with the first step of faith in Christ and continues for a lifetime as we daily take another step to have our life’s ambition to walk the excellent walk—step by step to the finish line.

Gleanings from Paul’s Epistles -- Next Week’s Reading: The Book of 2 Thessalonians © 2018 Dr. James M. Cecy, Campus Bible Church, Fresno, CA 93726 | www.campusbiblechurch.com