Motivations for Holy Conduct (1 Thessalonians 4:1)

Introduction

Great to be with you this morning. From that I’m going to segue to a different place and say, I’m just not motivated. That’s true of a number of things and areas in all of our lives. Or maybe it’s just me. I’m thinking of yard work. I’m thinking of dieting and exercise. Taking the car to get a car wash, or even worse, an oil change. You know, I figured up, I think I sat and waited on 250 oil changes at least in my life. That’s a lot.

Anything that’s going to require sweat, self-denial, those ugly S words. Self-sacrifice. We don’t like those. We struggle to find motivation for those things. And of course, you know where I’m going. We sometimes find ourselves in the same place in regard to spiritual pursuit, the same place in regard to worship and honoring God and doing so on a consistent, committed basis among the Lord’s people. And a lot of folks are just saying this is where they are. I’m just not motivated. And so when I preach, I’m always thinking about how can I motivate you? How can I motivate folks? How can I light a fire under folks? I think that is one of the purposes of preaching. That’s my job. Is to get you as much as possible to be excited and wanting to do the very things that we need to do for ourselves ultimately.

But I’m only a small part of the motivation. An important part, God declared that preaching should be done. It’s an important part, it’s an essential part. I’m here in some way to try to light the fire, but I’m merely an instrument with something that is far more powerful than my persuasive words. I try to be persuasive. I think sometimes the words that come out are pretty persuasive, but I still see people not respond. It’s not about persuasive speaking. It’s about using whatever ability I may have in a persuasive way in regard to the information that can do the changing, that has the power to cause us to be motivated. 1 Thessalonians 4 and verse 1. Finally, then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus.

So he’s writing to Christians who sustain a relationship with the Lord, that as you receive from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God. I put that in a different color because I wanted you to notice that. Instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God in so doing. And here’s the amazing thing about his audience, the Church of Thessalonica. They’re doing those things. And may that be true of us as we explore this even more. And that you, though doing these things, might even do more. And he goes on to talk about being a sanctuary, as we have sung. To be sanctified or set apart for God’s purposes by following and submitting to his commands. As I mentioned, this power to motivate is not just something that comes from preaching, but it is latent within the message itself.

There is something about this message that is designed to put fuel in your tank for the Lord. The gospel. The message of the good news. It is the power of God unto salvation. I think I heard that Wednesday night. Brother Ed Carmona.

It’s quick, it’s active, it’s sharper than any two-edged sword. It goes to the very inward parts of man to perform God’s desires. We could talk about Isaiah 55 in this regard, but I was noticing a passage in our study on Tuesday night in Colossians 1 that sort of fits some of the ideas that I’m tying together today. Look at verse 21. This is where we used, this is why we should be motivated when you consider where we came from that we so often want to forget. We forgot the purification of our former sins. Peter talks about that in 2 Peter chapter 1. We better not do that, or we’ll leave off in the work and the effort that’s necessary to build upon our faith. He says, you were, and this is bad.

This is as bad as it gets. If you’re in sin, undone by sin, he says, you were formerly alienated. That’s bad. But then he says, and hostile in mind. You were the hostels. Hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds. Yet he has now reconciled you. This is marvelous. In his fleshly body through death in order to present you before him. Look at this. The marvels of this. What a transformation. What a massive change has occurred from being hostile in mind and engaged in evil deeds and now being holy and blameless and beyond reproach before the throne of God. Thanks be to God. If indeed you continue in the faith, firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard.

And so, as I speak of this powerful document, the living and abiding word of God, that is beckoning us to reconciliation with God. That is pleading with us to turn from sin and to serve a living and true God. I’m thinking about this morning. What are the motivations for holy conduct? And I want to speak about these things as passionately and persuasively as I can. But I want you to know that it’s these things that ultimately must put the fuel in your tank. Number one, like Colossians 1 indicates. Alienated, hostile in mind, we start at the position in our sin of utter helplessness. I think sometimes we lose sight of that because we’re so familiar with this message of escape and emancipation. Jesus is providing salvation.

I’ve been hearing that since I was a toddler sitting in Bible classes. That I never really experienced or felt like I needed to, the utter helplessness of our lost condition. The absolute impossibility of navigating through life successfully, by me lonesome, to quote Johnny Tap. I’ll leave it to you to figure out the movie.

I really don’t want what Jesus has to offer. I’m going to map it all out. Buy me lonesome. And I want to tell you, that’s destined for destruction. That’s right. You’re ruining your soul and your life.

And you can think this is just a bunch of hooey that I’m preaching. But one day you’ll say, oh, he was right. Too late. My bankruptcy and hopelessness without God. Okay, that’s a little bit of fuel. But we talk about this being the greatest motivating factor, right? While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Died for the ungodly. Romans 5, verses 6 and 8. I think we’ve quoted it so many times that we failed to see the awesome nature of such a thought. That God showed favor where none was deserved. That God wanted to love me and has loved me despite my foolishness. And as much as a parent loves a child. And how intense and fervent that affection and desire for goodness that we have for our own children, at least we should naturally have if we have any story at all.

That love and affection for our own, our siblings, our children. Put that on a turbocharge. Exponentially more so.

And the love and grace of God as it is displayed in the solid framework that He provides us, not just for salvation, but for living. We who by nature were children of wrath. Dead in our trespasses and sins. Hold that thought. Ephesians chapter 2, verses 1 and 3. I dare not trust the sweetest frame. But wholly lean on Jesus’ name. There’s the framework that God has provided for quality and successful living. And even this, despite the fact that he took me off that futile path, that futile way.

Do not act in a very grateful way. But foolishly stumble yet again. Surely it’s over. Surely, after such a magnanimous gift, such unrivaled love, unrequited love, surely it would be over. But no. No. There’s still hope for you and me. Still. And the promise that he’s going to be there for us. Never alone. No, never alone. Jesus relates. He understands. He understands your suffering. He understands your temptation. He understands these fleshly appetites that we struggle with. And there’s a constant caring witness to your life. Always. When nobody else is there. When nobody else seems to care. He always is. Well, I could go on for hours and days about the love and grace and mercy of our God. But that’s not all the fuel. There is yet one more thing that I don’t want to spend most of our time talking about this morning.

What is that one more thing? You’re not going to hear this in a lot of places throughout what is called Christianity today. And that is a tragic mistake. There is yet another powerfully motivating thing and the message of the gospel designed to produce a certain response in us. And that is the wrath of God.

To argue that this aspect of God’s character does not exist, is wrong and unhelpful. It is very real. And the Bible minces no words on the matter. The Hebrew writer says in chapter 12, we receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken. That’s wonderful. The grace and mercy of God has made that happen. Let us show gratitude. That’s what I want to motivate us all to do, to show gratitude by which we may offer to God an acceptable service. That would be great. That’s only fitting. An acceptable service with reverence and awe. For our God is a consumer fire. Whoa. Whoa, wasn’t expecting that. These aren’t people outside of Christ. These are people who have received the kingdom. They’re a part of God’s plans and purposes. He said, now you need to serve God with reverence and awe.

Understand who you’re dealing with.

See to it then. See to it that you do not refuse him who is speaking. That’s where all of this begins in verse 25. Actually, it’s the entire message of Hebrews, but in this limited context. There are four God is statements throughout the New Testament. This impressed me as a kid. That’s why I’m sharing it now. Four times it says God is something. Number one, God is Spirit, in John 4, verse 24, saying something about his limitless nature that is so much greater and vast and different than our own. But also, God is light. He shows 1 John chapter 1 and verse 5, there is no darkness at all in him. He sheds the light on the path that we should go. That’s in our best interest, that’s good for us.

God is light. Everything that is about him is good, and we ought to be drawn to that. And then there’s this characteristic he says later in 1 John chapter 4 and verse 8. God is love, and we talked about that. His desires for everything good for you. That’s our God. But there’s this other one. In Hebrews 12 and verse 29. He is likewise a conceiving fire. I want to make three observations about that this morning. And I’m going to do something that is a departure from the norm. And it gets my better judgment. I’m going to tell you the three points before I start. No mystery here. I’m going to tell you where I’m going. I don’t know. I may never do this again. So hold time.

1. Motivating Admonitions in the Scripture

Three points. First of all, motivating admonitions in the scripture. Second of all, the benefit of trembling, and finally, life’s ultimate choice. There it is. There’s the lesson. Point number one. Motivating admonitions. Let’s look at these briefly. I want to start in the book of Ephesians. You think I’m making this up? The Hebrew writer is making this up about the wrath of God. Ephesians 5, verse 5. For this you know, and I have these words underlined in my text with certainty that no immoral or impure person or covetous man. And by implication, one who is not removing himself from that pursuit, but continues in it, does not receive forgiveness for it. An individual who is an immoral or impure person or covetous man who is an idolater, nobody like that has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

Let no one deceive you with empty words. Don’t let anybody tell you that it’s different than this.

For because of these things, the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Okay? That’s motivating. That’s meant to motivate. I need to leave such a course in my life. Disobedience is a big deal. I know there’s forgiveness. I know the love and grace and mercy of God is there to cover our sin. But not if people just persist in going that way. We’ve got to make some strong determinations about lifestyle and the way we’re going to think and the way we’re going to live, because the wrath of God is going to be demonstrated against the sons of disobedience. Those are not empty threats.

Colossians 3. Go over a book. Therefore, it’s easy to remember, both verses 5 and 6. Therefore, consider the members of your earthly body as dead to same things, immorality, impurity, but even more passion, evil desire, greed, which amounts to idolatry. There it is again. For it is on account of these things that the wrath of God will come. 1 Thessalonians chapter 1. Flip over another book. Those in Thessalonica turned to the Lord from idols to serve a living and true God in verse 9. To wait for his son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead. That is Jesus. They’re waiting on Jesus. That’s what we need to be doing. Waiting on Jesus. We’re closer to that moment than we’ve ever been. Waiting on Jesus to return from heaven.

Who delivers us from the wrath to come. I want to tell you, Paul talks about that a lot, doesn’t he?

We need to talk about it more.

2. The Benefit of Trembling

However unpleasant it may be to our ears. It was unpleasant to Felix. Tragic story. Had the opportunity to hear the gospel from the Apostle Paul himself. One on one. Paul reasoned with him about how to live right. About how to exercise and the need to exercise self-control. One of those things I was talking about in the beginning. Righteousness, self-control, and judgment to come. Felix, you’re headed that way. In fact, Felix is already there. Righteousness, self-control, and judgment to come. And he just, it’s water off the ducks back. No. He trembled. He was shaken by the prospect that he was not right before God. And apparently, somehow, some way, he silenced the pains of his conscience. He shut it down. He turned it off. Go your way.

When I have a convenience season, I’ll call for you. Did he ever embrace that moment again? Did he ever come to his senses somewhere down the road and say, I’ve got to do something about what Paul said. I hope he did, but there’s no record of that. But Felix is not a lone ranger in the history of the world. We talk to people all the time who again are gripped with a sense of responsibility to the message of God, and they don’t act on it. Why? I’ll tell you why. And we need to think about this when we’re trying to teach folks, because this is the way minds work. They immediately righteousness, self-control. I’ve got to make a change. And again, the motivation, the sweat, the self-sacrifice, the self-denial, those S words.

Okay, I need to, but no. Not going to make the changes. And beyond that, and we need to be teaching this to come to Christ means you’re going to be his disciple and his learner, and that’s going to mean commitment to his people. There’s going to be a level of commitment. A lot of folks want cleansing and salvation in Jesus, but commitment optional beyond that. No, it’s commitment. It’s unto an unfeigned love of the brethren. And we’re going to be held accountable for our response to that. We’ve got things to commit to in being a disciple of Jesus. And they start to see that. Oh man, I’m not sure if I can sign on for that. And there’s some unpleasant and uncomfortable consequences. You’re going to have to talk to family members who believe different things, who don’t practice truth, who are not doing righteousness.

And that’s all a mucky mess.

We sing it. Take my heart, make it your royal throne. A lot of folks never get beyond the trembling because they’re not ready to give up the throne. That’ll be sort of an ongoing thing that we’ll struggle with. People don’t change sometimes because they don’t really grasp the rewards Jesus is offering.

And sometimes because they don’t really grasp the extent of the loss by not acting on God’s saving truth. Work out your salvation with fear and tremble. How long has it been since you trembled? As you thought about the wrath of God upon the sons of disobedience, and that God is consuming. Two things about this text in Philippians 2. Number one, there’s no way to get effort out of a right response to Jesus. You can’t extract that from the process and say, well, I just want salvation. I want to go to heaven, but that effort part, I really don’t want to invest in that. It’s work out. It’s there. It’s Philippians 2 and verse 12. We’ve got some activity that we must engage in to be righteous and exercise self-control and to avoid the judgment to come.

3. Life's Ultimate Choice: Refreshing or Wrath

You can’t get effort out of that. But here’s the great news about Philippians chapter 2 and verse 12. You’re not all by your lonesome, because it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. You have divine assistance, as we talked about under the love and grace of God segment of the introduction. So that’s point number two. And now we move to the final point as I talk about the benefit of trembling in Philippians chapter 2 and verse 12. Work out your salvation with fear and trembling, the final point. Life’s ultimate choice. Refreshing or wrath. Boy, you’re talking about extremes. That’s your choice today. And as long as you have life and breath, it is a choice between refreshing and wrath.

I love the sermon in Acts 3. I’ve been working on a sermon with these slides for a long time, and I’m not really going the direction I want to go with that. I don’t want to talk about repentance, but I’m not there yet. I know Aaron mentioned this text recently in a Lord’s Supper talk a couple of weeks ago. This is the most, I mean, we go to Acts 2 a lot. Great first sermon on the day of Pentecost, but the sermon in Acts 3 is extraordinary too. And gets a little bit overlooked, I think, as the sermons in Acts go. Some extraordinary things. You Jews put to death the Prince of life. Verse 15. The Christ should suffer. These things have been fulfilled. All the scriptures have been talking about.

And thus he says, you who are guilty of such an atrocity, he says, repent. Turn every one of you from your wicked ways, verse 26. Repent, that your sins might be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord. We should heed the words of the prophet, he says in verse 22, and then says finally in verse 23, and it shall be. Ah. I’ve never heard this verse a lot. Am I just not paying attention? And it shall be that every soul that does not heed that prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people. The wrath of God. Refuse. And the soul remains unsaved and unfilled. That’s not good either. Embrace. And joys emanate from his throne. Are you basking in that?

The times of refreshing that come from the presence. If you’re not sensing it, if you’re not feeling it, talk to God about that. I want to experience the sense of being refreshed that comes from knowing that I’m in a right relationship with you, and I’m serving in your plans and purposes, and that I am your child. I want the times of refreshing that come from your presence. I need to experience that, feel that, know that.

This is not just the most feel-good topic I could have presented. Flames are licking at my feet. But we need that.

Because the Hebrew writer says in chapter 10 and verse 27. A certain terrified. Terrifying. Expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries. That is a very impactful statement, is it not? That’s for the bad people. Oh, yeah. But what about the context? Hebrew writer is talking to those same people that he talked about just two chapters later, the consuming fire. And they’re in the spiritual doltrums. And he says, in the previous verse, if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth. Oh, okay, this is true of the ungodly, those wicked sinners out there, those really bad people, but that’s not the context of the statement. The context of the statement are those who are continually in sin and supposing that they are going to somehow escape the wrath of God.

He says, Don’t deceive yourself. Like Paul said in Colossians 3. Then he goes on to talk about those who have considered unclean. The blood of the covenant by which they were sanctified. And they have trampled on the Son of God and insulted the Spirit of grace. And he says, How much severer punishment do you think they will receive? This is written to the likes of us. If we are spiritually sluggish as his audience was, find ourselves in the doldrums and find ourselves walking where sin’s allurement is, as we say. Do not discount the very real and motivating wrath of God.

Conclusion

Because the Lord Jesus will one day be revealed in heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire. Stealing out retribution to what category of people? Those who don’t know him and who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. And these will pay the penalty of eternal destruction away from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his power. To be lost is awful. But that last phrase, oh the tragedy. Away from the Lord forever. And the glory of his power. Does this message motivate you to save yourself by the grace and mercy of God and in fear of the wrath of God? Recognizing your utter helplessness to do this without Him. Won’t you come while we stand and say?