A few months back we tried to show a video and epic failed with some sound issues.  We’re going to take another run at it this morning.  You may recognize this.  Hopefully this time you can hear it too.

(Video:  Mediocrity 2011)

Makes you want to rush out and buy one.  Doesn’t it?

We’ve been looking Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians and what it means to live victorious as followers of Jesus.

Way too often we fall into a rut as Christians - doing the Christian life because that’s what we do - doing all the predictable things Christians do.  Go to church - read our Bible... enough - pray… at least at meals - don’t swear… too much.  Christian stuff.  Or we’re getting hammered by stuff in life and we go into survival mode just trying to get by.  Suck it up and act spiritual because that’s what Christians do.

Talking about living a victorious Christian life seems like something “out there” beyond where most of us experience life.

And yet God hasn’t saved us so we can live a “good enough” morally Christian life.  God hasn’t saved us so we can live in what’s a kind of predictable “milk toasty” mediocre Christian experience.

God has saved us so we can live victorious in this life - overcoming - triumphant - victorious even in the midst of whatever life throws at us - living in such a way that the world will take notice and drool with envy.  To live the life that deep down we admire in others and we really do desire to live ourselves.

That’s what we’ve been looking at as we’ve been working our way through 1 Thessalonians.  More than just existing we want to live the victorious life that’s available to us in Jesus Christ.  To experience all of what God has for us in Jesus.

Today we’ve come to the end 1 Thessalonians.  Chapter 5:12-28.  We’re going to look at what it means to live Victorious in Conduct.  Let’s repeat that together.  “Victorious in conduct.”

A few years back I went to a mosque as part of a comparative religions class.  It was field trip.  So there were a number of us students - all Christians - who visited this mosque - and who ended up standing in the back observing what was going on.  For the most part feeling pretty conspicuous and out of place.

At one point we were surrounded by a number of Muslims who warmly welcomed us and then were pretty intent on sharing their faith and converting us.

Thinking about that - its an interesting perspective on how we as Christians treat people who have no clue about our faith or what we do here - who may wander in here to Creekside on a Sunday morning or just people we talk with out there.  How they might be feeling.

It was an interesting discussion - with these Muslims.  Beyond the similarities and differences of what we believe - in the midst of that discussion there was one comment made by one of the Muslim gentlemen that really stuck in my mind.  He said, “I would believe in Christianity if it wasn’t for the conduct of Christians.”

Ouch.  Have you ever heard that?  Once too often.

Someone said this:  “The most important thing in learning to relate to others is personal honesty.  Once you learn to fake that everything else is easy.”

There’s no way to fake the victorious Christian life.  Either we’re living it from the heart or we’re faking it - hiding an emptiness within - conducting ourselves in a hypocrisy that in time becomes obvious to others - that ultimately hurts people and drives them away from Jesus.

Coming to these last verses here in 1 Thessalonians 5 - these are Paul’s parting shot about how we are to conduct ourselves as followers of Jesus.  A genuine - from the heart - conduct that should ooze out from within us demonstrating that God is genuinely at work in our lives.

If you’re not there yet - please turn with me to 1 Thessalonians 5 - starting at verse 12.  These are rapid fire points that Paul makes that are not the easiest to group together in an outline.  But generally they fall into three general areas of conduct.

The first comes in verses 12 to 15.  Our Conduct In The Body Of Christ.  Let’s say that together.  “Our conduct in the Body of Christ.”

Verse 12:  But we request of you, brethren, that you appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction, and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work.  Live in peace with one another.

Paul had come to Thessalonica during his second missionary trip.  He’d stayed in Thessalonica about 3 weeks before he was forced out of town by a mob.  During those 3 weeks - Paul preached the Gospel and many came to salvation.  He taught the basic doctrines of our faith - discipled and trained the believers - grounded them in their faith.  (Acts 17:1-10)

Which is amazing when we think about it.  Imagine, in 3 weeks - starting from nothing - God used Paul to establish a dynamic congregation of believers which was an example to Christians then and even now. 

Which also means - and its important for us to grab this - which also means that most of the Thessalonians had come to salvation - when?  During Paul’s ministry - at about the same time.

So as Paul is writing - there were some in the Thessalonian church who were saying, “I knew so-and-so before he was saved.  I knew what kind of life he lived.  And, we got saved at the same time.  So, who does he think he is trying to teach me?”  Instant conflict.

We have the same problem in many churches today.  The Holy Spirit’s gifting and calling of pastors - teachers - where God is calling people into roles of leadership - where people are recognized as having those roles but they’re not respected.  After all, these leaders are people just like us - with the same struggles and imperfections.

And let’s face it - often times we don’t like to be led.  It ruffles our pride.  Or, we’re afraid of where God may use them to lead us.

Maybe you’ve seen this?  There are way too many congregations out there - emphasis out there not here - where a congregation will call someone into a position of leadership - most often as a pastor - put them on a pedestal because of their position - and then start to chop away at that pedestal - with gossip and insinuations and totally ungodly conduct and attitudes - until the leader finally quits.  Often with ongoing wounds on both sides.  Anyone ever seen that happen?

Way too often serving in church leadership - on a board or committee or a leadership team - call it what we want - serving in leadership is seen as a commitment to a life long death sentence to be avoided at all costs.

All that is certainly conduct that attracts people to Jesus.

Its a long way from what Paul writes to Timothy:  “If any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do.”  (1 Timothy 3:1)

Paul writes that we’re to appreciate those who diligently labor among us.  To appreciate means to cherish them - value them.  They serve.  They work.  They labor.  For us.

The Greek word for “charge” - “and have charge over you” - that word in Greek has the idea of protecting and guarding - they have the responsibility to care for us.  “Instruction” translates a Greek word that means “to warn.”

Church leadership - serving the Body of Christ - isn’t top down dictatorship.  Leadership in the Body of Christ is spiritual.  It concerns the well being and spiritual health of the congregation - guarding - protecting - warning - undergirding and helping others to draw closer to God and to follow Him through life.

Paul says, “We need to esteem leaders” - think about them highly in love because of their service for you.  Why?  Because - verse 12 - because they’re doing all that - “in the Lord.” 

We know that when we come to salvation in Jesus Christ the Holy Spirit gives to each of us certain gifts to use in the church.  The Holy Spirit working within us calls and enables some to be pastors - some to be teachers - and so on - roles that are more up front leadership positions of service in the congregation. 

Point being:  God has put them in a position of servant leadership.  When they’re following God - working hard - unselfishly laboring in love - we need to “esteem them” - appreciate them for what they’re doing.

Then Paul writes - verse 13 - what?  “Live in peace with one another.”

There’s an old saying that goes:  “If everyone is a prince who will turn the mill?”   If everyone is running the place who’s going to mill the grain?  

Peace is a harmony that comes from a mutual partnership and serving our Lord Jesus Christ.  There’s peace in the church - when each of us - in humility before God - each of us is paying attention to what God has given us to do.  When each of us in humility is striving to serve God with all that He has created us to be.

Are we together on what Paul is describing?  Conduct in the Body of Christ isn’t top down or bottom up - but all of us together - in humility serving God as God enables and leads us in the roles that He has given us - that all of us together are conducting ourselves in a way that glorifies God.

Let’s go on.  Verse 14:  We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone.  See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people.

The great preacher/evangelist Dwight L. Moody, speaking about Moses said, “In the first forty years in Egypt Moses learned to be Somebody.  In the second forty years in the wilderness, he learned to be Nobody.  In the third forty years, he learned what God can do with Somebody who is willing to be a Nobody.” (1)

Each of us is a work of God in progress.  Some of us need more progress than others.

Paul writes, “be patient.”  Patient in Greek is word that means something like, “have a long fuse.”  Be willing to hang in there with each other for the long haul.     

“The unruly” are the undisciplined who never seem to be able to get their lives in order.

“The fainthearted” are those who lack courage - the timid and afraid.  Their lives seem to go from one crisis to another.  They’re always coming up against mountains too high to climb.

“The weak” are people dominated by something - addictions - habits - spouses - any one of a number of things.  They never seem to get past what they’re hung up on.

People that it seems like we’re constantly picking up the pieces after and cleaning up their messes and having to go the extra mile for.

Grab that thought.  How easy is it to think that we’re the one’s that need to be patient with others?  We need to be patient with the unruly - the fainthearted - the weak.  Anyone thinking that?  You don’t have to raise your hand.

Believe it or not - there are times when I’m whining at God, “God why do I have to put up with this?”  Then - I think this is a God moment - God speaking to me and saying, “I put up with you?”

Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 1:15, “It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus, came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all.  Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life.”

Patience towards others comes when we realize that none of us would be here if it wasn’t for God.  God is infinitely patient with us. We need to take ourselves down a notch or two or three.

Patience cuts both ways.  Each of us is someone who needs to be lovingly admonished, encouraged, helped - as together we learn to be who God has called us to be. 

Verse 15:  “See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people.”

Our society says:

Do unto others before they do unto you.
Do unto others because of what they might do unto you.

Paul writes:  Do good to those who do evil unto you.  That’s radical.  But, life transforming - ours and others.   Whether we experience jealousy or outrage towards those over us - or irritation and interference from those we’re tempted to look down on - be patient - respond in humility - don’t retaliate - seek what is good for each other.

Bottom line:  Conduct in the Body of Christ is about what God is doing in us and through us.  Its not about us.

Second Paul writes about our Conduct Towards God.  Let’s say that together, “Our conduct towards God.”

A while back I had a phone call from a distraught father because he thought his son had committed suicide.  The father lived in one city and the son lived near us and the father couldn’t get a hold of his son.  Would I go and find out if his son was still alive?

That was hard.  Hard for the father and mother - waiting to hear back from me.  Hard for me to show up knocking on the door not knowing what I’d find.

Maybe this is true of you too.  During any given week we’re in conversations with people who are under tremendous pressure.  Struggles in marriage - at work - illness - death and on and on.  Its overwhelming sometimes all the stuff that we all go through in life.

Our society is filled with despair and gloom and people who have come to the end.

I’m convinced - looking no farther than my own life - and in talking with so many others - that the only way to have any victory in all that is to stay focused on God - centered on God - clinging to God.

That’s what verses 16 to 18 focus on.  A series of rapid fire commands that if we’re willing to do these - no matter what life throws at us - we’re going to stay focused on God.

Verse 16:  Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.  Do not quench the Spirit; do not despise prophetic utterances.  But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil.

Verse 16.  Paul’s first command is what?  “Rejoice always”

There are hundreds of times where the Bible encourages us to rejoice.  The majority of that rejoicing is because of what God is doing in the lives of His people.

Rejoice!  Lift up your heart knowing that God - even in the midst of the worst circumstances we may find ourselves - God cares about us so deeply - that He’s already died on the cross showing His love for us - triumphed over the worst of this world - has authority over it - and He - God - will be with us through any circumstance that we could possibly go through.

Verse 17.  Paul’s second command is what?  “Pray constantly”

There was a church sign that had these words on it, “If your knees are shaking, kneel on them.”  Under pressure and in trouble - be prayerful.  Lean on God for the strength we need.  Pour out your heart to Him.  He’s listening.

Verse 18.  Paul’s third command is what?  “Give thanks in all circumstances”

Paul had everything going for him - by birth, by education, by citizenship.  He had the best of both the Jewish world and the Roman world.  Then God called him and he gave it all up to follow Jesus Christ.  Which meant incredible persecution and suffering.

Dickens:  “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…”

The worst of circumstances - through which God used Paul to change the world.

Paul writes in Romans 8:28, “We know that God causes all things to work together for - what?  good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His - what?  purpose.” 

God turns what is meant for evil into good.  When we give thanks we claim that truth.  We place our lives where God can bring good in us and through us - even when we don’t see it.

Paul writes - verse 18:  “This is God’s will for you.”  God wants us to rejoice - to pray - to give thanks - to keep our hearts focused on Him. 

Verse 19.  Paul’s fourth command is what?  “Do not quench the Spirit”

Do you remember when the Apostle Peter had been staying in Joppa at the home of Simon?  One day, around noon - Peter goes up onto the roof of the house to pray.  God gives Peter this vision of a large sheet being lowered down right in front of Peter.  On that sheet are all kinds of animals that - to a Jew would be totally unclean.  No Jew would ever eat these.

A voice says to Peter - what?  “Kill ’em and chow down!”  Peter says, “No, its unclean.  I can’t.”  The voice says, “What God has cleaned, no longer consider unholy.”  It’s God’s way of preparing Peter for what comes next.

While Peter trying to process the vision a knock comes on the door.  The Holy Spirit says to Peter, “There are three men downstairs looking for you.  Go with them.”  So, Peter goes downstairs and goes with the men who take him all the way to Caesarea to the home of Cornelius - a Gentile - think unclean - a Gentile who’s seeking salvation.  Cornelius tells Peter, “Four days ago I was praying and a man appeared to me telling me that my prayers had been heard.  He told me to send to Joppa for you.  So, tell us.  How can we be saved?”

It’s a God moment orchestrated by the Holy Spirit.  Peter obeys God - does what would be unthinkable for a Jew - hanging out in the house of Gentile - sharing the Gospel with them.  Cornelius and his household trust in Jesus as their Savior.  (Acts 10)

Sometimes God does things that are way outside our comfort zone.  But, we’re not to quench - get in the way of - what the Holy Spirit is doing.

I used to study at a Taco Bell in Pacifica - out on the beach - studying - drinking coffee - and watching surfers.  Have you ever watched a surfer on the ocean?  Surfers out on the waves.  Waiting patiently.  Timing the waves.  Paddling to catch the wave.  Riding the wave.

God sends waves - powerful movements of His Spirit.  Sometimes even in the midst of great adversity.  Sometimes when we least expect it.  We need to be alert - open - ready to ride the wave God sends to us.

When we quench the Spirit - we miss the wave.  We miss the blessing.  The joy and privilege of being a part of God’s work.  Being carried forward in ways that would never have occurred to us.

Verse 20.  Paul’s fifth command is what?  “Do not despise the prophetic utterances.” 

Last week I was whining about having to do jury duty down in Fresno.  I said to the person I was talking to, “But I’m praying and trusting God.”  And this person - here - said to me, “If you were trusting God you wouldn’t keep bringing it up.”

He was right.  I need to hear that and change my attitude.

A couple of weeks ago the umpire - at our church softball game - made are really really really bad call and I struck out.  At that point my behavior wasn’t exactly glorifying God.

Someone from here said to me, “Why are you so angry at a church softball game?” 

Which got me thinking - why am I so mad?  Which got me thinking about a whole lot of issues and the bottom line of seeking only God’s approval of my life.

Paul’s point:  Don’t reject God’s word.  Sometimes God uses others to speak His word into our lives.  That doesn’t always happen coming from the music stand up here or in a Bible study.

Paul’s counter point:  “But examine everything carefully.”  There are a lot of wacko ideas out there being presented in the name of God.  Don’t be taken in.

The Spirit of God will never contradict the word of God.  He will always operate in conjunction with the truth He has declared to us.  That’s why its important to study God’s word - what God has already uttered.  Know God’s word and examine everything in the light of God’s word.

Put another way:  Learn to recognize, listen to, and obey the voice of God.

Finally Paul writes, “Hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil.”

Put simply:  Stop doing what’s wrong and start doing what’s right - and keep on doing what’s right regardless of the temptation to stop.  Which ties closely to learning to listen to God’s word.  Because, sometimes we’re long on listening and short on obedience.

Conduct towards God is conduct that’s focused - heart - mind - body - focused on God.  If we learn to live that way - no matter what gets thrown at us - if we live that way at the core of who we are - we will live in God’s victory.

Paul’s third point about our conduct is our Conduct In Response To God’s Grace.  Let’s say that together.  “Our conduct in response to God’s grace.” 

Verse 23 is Paul’s closing prayer for the Thessalonians:  Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

The words “entirely” and “complete” in Greek have the same root word that has the idea of “wholeness.”  Every part of who we are spiritually - morally - our character - every part of us made whole - complete - blameless before God - separated from the crud and sin of this world - transformed into the person God has created us to be - so that when Jesus returns - rather than condemnation - God’s wrath being poured out on us - rather than facing eternal conscious punishment - we’re going to be preserved - we’re going to stand before Jesus and worship Him and praise Him forever.

Paul’s prayer is that God would complete what God’s started. 

Verse 24 is a wonderful promise:  Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.

What Paul prays for us is not a “to do” list that somehow we have to accomplish.  What Paul is writing here is a call for us to trust God’s work in our lives and in the lives of others.  God is the one Who’s forming and preserving and preparing us for eternity with Him.

Point being:  Everything God calls us to be God promises He - God - will accomplish in us.  Its all a work of His grace.  Our response to God’s grace is to trust Him to do His work in us. 

These last 3 verses are some words of personal greeting.  Let’s not blow by these.

Verse 25:  Brethren, pray for us.  We need each other to be on our knees for each other.

Verse 26:  Greet all the brethren with a holy kiss - which carries no sexual intentions - purely a sign of genuine Christian affection

Verse 27:  I adjure you by the Lord to have this letter read to all the brethren.  Which we’ve just done.

All of which reminds us of how much Paul loved these people.

Verse 28:  The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Where does Paul end up?  Back to grace.  At the core of it all - what we’ve been seeing here in 1 Thessalonians.  God is the source of our victory in salvation - in mission - in the word - in suffering - in prayer - in progress - in death - in judgment - and in conduct.  God is the source of it all - by grace - giving to us what we could never achieve on our own.

Bottom Line:  Real victory is something that only God can produce in our lives.  The question is are we willing to trust Him with our lives.

Last thought.  Please stay with me on this.

If there ever was a person who lived victorious - regardless of the what was thrown at Him - that person was Jesus.  Would you agree with that?

Jesus never did what people expected Him to do - the mediocre - the living the religious Jewish life thing - the I’m setting Myself up as king revolution thing.

We have our expectations of what life should be like.  Others have their expectations of what our lives should be like.  More often than not those expectations - ours - others - will lead us away from victory.

Jesus always did what God the Father expected Him to do.  That’s how Jesus conducted His life.

That’s the way we need to live life.  Our goal should be to follow Jesus.  To follow Jesus - to live life as Jesus lived life - to follow Jesus is to follow God.

How are you doing at following Jesus?  In raw honesty - is your life really patterned after Jesus’ life?  Conducted according to the expectations of the Father?  Or, is there something that needs to change?

_________________________
1. Harry Misserlian, Treasures in Earthen Vessels

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE ®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by the Lockman Foundation.  Used by permission.