Living in the World But Not of the World // 1 Thessalonians 4

Living in the World, but not of the World // 1 Thessalonians 4

 

“Living in the World and not of the world.”  A statement that is used among Christian circles that has been adapted from the prayer of Jesus just before He gave Himself on the Cross….

 

14 I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.  John 17;14 NKJV

 

We are not “of this world”…means that heaven is your home.  Your father is in heaven. Your Savior is in heaven. Your reward is in heaven, All the glorified saints and redeemed loved ones are there. The church is in victory there. Your inheritance is there. A home is being prepared for you there.  So, We are not of this world, heaven is our home. 

 

15 I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify[i] them by Your truth. Your word is truth. 18 As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.  — John 17:14-16 NKJV

 

Paul here is echoing the heart of Jesus to the church in Thessalonika and builds off of his exhortation in chapter 3, I pray that you would remain “holy and blameless at the coming of the Lord Jesus abounding more and more in love”…. Paul and Jesus make it very clear that while we are living in this world…we should be:

 

• • • • • UNIFYING FORCE (towards those inside the church) — the greatest movement in all of human history.
        • IDENTIFYING MARK (towards those outside the church) — we are the “light of the world”, the “salt of the earth” — we light the darkness and bring flavor and preservation to humanity…

 

1 Thess. 4:2 — When we are growing in unity and establishing ourselves in holiness, we “PLEASE GOD”…and there should be a greater desire today to please God than there was yesterday….It should the “MOTIVE” of our hearts…it should be the “APPETITE” for our souls…Pleasing God should be at the heart of every Christian, it should be the very thing that we hunger for…

 

So today, let me share with you from this chapter, 3 ways to live in the world but not of the world.

 

#1.  Abstain from Sexual Immorality (v. 3-8)

1. 1. 1. Sexual Immorality is a matter of SELF-CONTROL —
         1. 1. its a matter of discipline, a choice of the mind to willfully resist the passion of your flesh…
      2. Sexual Immorality is the result of a DETACHMENT from marriage.
         1. 1. Reference 1 Peter 3:7 & Ephesians 5:25-26…we should strive to sanctify and honor our marriages. 
      3. Sexual Immorality will always become DESTRUCTIVE.
         1. 1. It will break relationships and confuse, distort, steal, kill and destroy marriages.
            2. The statistics are clear, the stories are tragically true.
      4. Sexual Immorality is REBELLION against God.  ( a rejection of God and His standards resulting in the possibility of forgetting who God is and not Knowing Him )
      5. Sexual Immorality will PROVOKE God’s wrath.

 

#2. Live Quietly Towards Others  (v. 9-12)

1. 1. 1. Avoid MEDDLING. “Mind your own Business” — life is challenging and full of lots of conflict and each of us have our own “Soap Operas”, but that doesn’t mean we should plaster the drama of our lives across social media platforms, at our places of employment, quietly live your life, quietly deal with your stress, quietly deal with the conflicts of your home, your soul, your body…your life is not meant to be played out in front of everyone!  Sometimes you need to be “quiet” about it.
      2. Avoid IDLENESS. “Work with your hands” — apparently some were quitting their jobs in anticipation of the second coming, but Paul is urging them to not sit idle, but part of our calling and our sanctification is to work.

 

#3. Hope for Life Beyond the Grave (v. 13-18)

• • • The Resurrection of Jesus means Life AFTER Death. (v. 13-14)
• A typical gravestone to those who grieve with no hope might read…” I was not // I became // I am not // I care not…
• We don’t “lose” people if we die in Christ, because we know where they will be found.
• Even though we walk through the “valley of the shadow of death” we fear no evil…death is no longer a grim reaper, it is the final battle and the transformative moment into glory!
• To be absent from the body, is to be present with the Lord…

 

Death is a fact of life. The only way we can escape death is to be alive when the Lord Jesus Christ returns.

Death is not an accident; it is an appointment: “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (Heb. 9:27).

 

• • • Jesus will come again to RESURRECT and RAPTURE those who are in Christ.

 

The Rapture can be a very controversial topic.  We believe as a fellowship, that the best most clearly understood interpretation of scripture would cause us to believe  in what is called the pre-tribulation rapture of the church, where the Great Tribulation described in Revelation 6-18 is played out in the earth while we as believers are in heaven with Christ.    There will be a mass exit of Christians from the world, and it will happen immanently and quickly as in the twinkling of an eye.)

 

No one will miss it…it is the most spectacular moment in all of human history and the loudest verse in the Bible!

1. 1. 1. 1. With a SHOUT. — To announce His APPEARING. (This is the “alarm clock” for humanity…Christ will be heard and He Himself will descend upon the earth. 
         2. With an ARCHANGEL. — To announce His JUDGMENT (
         3. With the TRUMPET OF GOD. — To announce His VICTORY. (This is a signal of great events of rejoicing, resurrection, and redemption for humanity!)

 

Here is my URGENT EXHORTATION:

 “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our saviour Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works” (Titus 2:11-14).

1. Hold on to everything God has given you and don’t let go!
2. Make it your priority to PLEASE GOD in every area of your life!
3. Encourage others with our blessed hope beyond the Grave!