Thes #4 Even More
Even More!
I Thessalonians 4:1-2; 10-12
Paul is a great coach.
I've had some good coaches in my day and some bad coaches.
Good coaches tell you what to do.
Good coaches encourage their players when they accomplish the objective; but then call them to step it up.
To go further.
>"You hit the basket, now let's increase your arch and make it again, this time nothing but net."
>"You won the race, but now let's lower your time"
>"You lowered your time, but I think you've still got something in you, let's lower it again."
>"You got the ball on the green, now let's get it closer to the hole."
Looking back at the previous parts of the letter gives us insight into the lives of these people whom Paul writes to.
I think Paul sensed a wavering.
He says "you've suffered much, but accepted the teaching with Joy"
He told them that they had "become an example" as "teachers" and with "great faith"
They had "left behind" old gods/authorities/objects of worship
They look forward to Christ's Return
Then He says "I'm afraid the devil tempted you"
READ 4:1-2; 11-12
Coach Paul says "nice shot" "good game" "Let's Step it Up"
Are you living for Jesus?
Is there room for more?
What will "more" cost you?
What will "more" earn you?
1. Even More
A. "You HAVE Lived for God" v 1
1. It's "Good"
2. "I Serve God" - GREAT!
3. You say - "I have …
a. believed
b. learned
c. obeyed
d. witnessed
e. worshipped
B. But NOW - EVEN MORE
1. Believe more
2. learn more
3. obeyed - more - You've lived the Letter of my instructions - NOW live the Spirit
4. witness more - witness to a classmate or co-worker not just to a stranger on a mission trip
5. worship more - worship with more abandon - worship FOR Christ's blessing and pleasure NOT for the approval of others
6. MORE - Step it Up
a. Worship as a part of life
Psalm 16:7 I will praise the LORD , who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me.
Psalm 34:1 I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.
b. worship when it's darkest
Psalm 7:1,2,10,17
1 O LORD my God, I take refuge in you;
save and deliver me from all who pursue me,
2 or they will tear me like a lion
and rip me to pieces with no one to rescue me.
10 My shield is God Most High,
who saves the upright in heart.
17 I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness
and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.
c. witness when it's hardest
d. learn when it's most obscure
e. obey when it makes the least sense
Noah
Abraham
Gideon
Ezekiel - lay on your left side - 13 months - left side 40 days
f. obey when it requires the most from you
Luke 14:26"If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters--yes, even his own life--he cannot be my disciple.
Matthew 19:29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.
g. believe when it's most unbelievable
> you believe him when he says you “must be born again” - you will go to Heaven
C. "You Have Loved" - v10
1. other believers
2. strangers
3. conditionally
4. First
5. loveable
D. But NOW -
1. the Lost - like Jesus
a. moved with compassion
b. wept over the city
2. Enemies
3. THE STUPID
4. don't just love First, Love LAST - when they don't love in return
5. unconditionally
6. the unlovely
E. He is calling us to be an EVEN MORE people
Pr 9:9 - Teach the wise, and they will become even wiser; teach good people, and they will learn even more.
Joh 15:2 - He cuts off every branch of mine that does not produce fruit. And he trims and cleans every branch that produces fruit so that it will produce even more fruit
The principle of PRUNING is for the purpose of producing EVEN MORE
Heb 10:25 - You should not stay away from the church meetings, as some are doing, but you should meet together and encourage each other. Do this even more as you see the day coming.
Mt 25:29 - "For to everyone who has, {more} shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away.
We are called to be an EVEN More People because we SERVE …
2. An EVEN More God
Ro 5:15 - But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many.
Ro 5:17 - For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.
Heb 7:22 - so much the more also Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant.
Heb 8:6 - But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as He is also the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises.
Lu 11:13 - If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
Aren't you Glad we serve a Much More God?
A. From the Beginning -
1. He created Heaven, Earth, Light, Darkness, Animals, Birds, Fish, Insects, Sunrises, Sunsets, Oceans, Stars, Moons, and he said "IT WAS GOOD"
2. BUT EVEN MORE - he created MAN and said it was "Very GOOD" -
> Hey he created man BUT EVEN MORE - he didn't stop there, he created WOMAN - Praise GOD! LOL
B. God FORGIVES
1. Much MORE - He FORGETS -
Is43:25; Jer 31:34;
2. "casts our sins behind his back"
Isaiah 38:17
3. "casts them into the sea of forgetfulness"
4. "separates us from them as the east from the west"
Psalm 103:12
5. tramples them underfoot, into the sea
Micah 7:19
C. God gives Mercy of forgiveness
1. MUCH More - we Find Grace of Righteousness, Relationship, and Revelation of God in Glory
2. Hebrews 4:16
Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
3. The Amplified says - Hebrews 4
16Let us then fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of grace (the throne of God's unmerited favor to us sinners), that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find grace to help in good time for every need [appropriate help and well-timed help, coming just when we need it].
4. we can approach God this way because we have a MUCH MORE God!!!
D. He Gives Life
1. MUCH MORE - Abundant Life
John 10:10
2. Much More - Eternal Life
John 3:15-16
3. Much More - Overcoming Victorious Life
Romans 8:37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
4. "ALL THIS AND HEAVEN TOO!"
We serve an Even More God who calls us to an Even More Life and gives us everything we need for not only life, but (even more) also Godliness as well - 2 Peter 1:3
What Will MORE Cost?
-4 Friends? Maybe
-5 Money? Possibly
-6 Time? Maybe
-7 Control? DEFINITELY
What will MORE Earn?
-8 notoriety? Maybe
-9 Trouble? Possibly
-10 Respect? Maybe
-11 Christlikeness? For Sure!
-12 Approval of the Father? Most Definitely
Heb 10:32-39 32 Remember those days in the past when you first learned the truth. You had a hard struggle with many sufferings, but you continued strong. 33 Sometimes you were hurt and attacked before crowds of people, and sometimes you shared with those who were being treated that way. 34 You helped the prisoners. You even had joy when all that you owned was taken from you, because you knew you had something better and more lasting. 35 So do not lose the courage you had in the past, which has a great reward. 36 You must hold on, so you can do what God wants and receive what he has promised. 37 For in a very short time, "The One who is coming will come and will not be delayed. 38 The person who is right with me will live by trusting in me. But if he turns back with fear, I will not be pleased with him." 39 But we are not those who turn back and are lost. We are people who have faith and are saved.