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TURN:SERVE:WAIT

The Power of the Jesus Story 1 Thessalonians

10 You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed. 11 For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, 12 encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.
1 THESSALONIANS 2:10-12

1 As for other matters, brothers and sisters, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. 3 It is Gods will that you should be sanctied:
1 THESSALONIANS 4:1-3

1. God intended humans to have an interactive relationship with Him in which there were no barriers to physical closeness or spiritual connectivity. 2. The sinful, impure condition of humanity after their disobedience to God separated them from Him and created a major problem for closeness and connectivity.

3. God could not compromise His love or His holiness. So, to be among His creation as intended from the beginning, He graciously provided guidelines for purication that allowed His manifest presence to be in the midst of His people without destroying them.

4. The sacrice of Christ on the cross pays the penalty for all sins of all time and provides a righteousness that is acceptable to God. This gifted forgiveness and righteousness makes it possible for humanity to have a restored relationship with God without a mediator or purication rules and rituals. This new reality was visibly demonstrated by the tearing of the temple veil at the crucixion.

1. We dont pursue sanctication in order to be accepted by God. We live a sanctied lifestyle because we already are accepted by God through the work of Christ on the cross which provides forgiveness of sins and a perfect righteousness. This is the gospel . . . the good news!

21 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justied freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented Christ as a sacrice of atonement, through the shedding of his bloodto be received by faith.
ROMANS 3:21-25

Gospel means "news that brings joy." It meant history-making, life-shaping news as opposed to just daily news. For example, there is an ancient Roman inscription from about the same time as Jesus and Mark. It starts: "The beginning of the gospel of Caesar Augustus." It's the story of the birth and coronation of the Roman emperor. A gospel was news of some event that changed things in a meaningful way. It could be an ascension to the throne, or it could be a victory.

When Greece was invaded by Persia and the Greeks won the great battles of Marathon and Solnus, they sent heralds (or evangelists) who proclaimed the good news to the cities: "We have fought for you, we have won, and now you're no longer slaves; you're free." A gospel is an announcement of something that has happened in history, something that's been done for you that changes your status forever.

Right there you can see the difference between Christianity and all other religions, including no religion. The essence of other religions is advice; Christianity is essentially news. Other religions say, "This is what you have to do in order to connect to God forever; this is how you have to live in order to earn your way to God." But the gospel says, "This is what has been done in history. This is how Jesus lived and died to earn the way to God for you. Christianity is completely different. It's joyful news.
The Kings Cross Tim Keller 14-15

2. We dont pursue sanctication in order to improve our morality so we feel we are in better standing with God and superior to those outside of Christ. The pursuit should not cause us to isolate from the world and condemn the culture.

9 To some who were condent of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: 10 Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: God, I thank you that I am not like other peoplerobbers, evildoers, adulterersor even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.

13 But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, God, have mercy on me, a sinner. 14 I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justied before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.
LUKE 18:9-14

3. We live a sanctied, holy, pure, set apart life in order to glorify God

If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.
1 PETER 4:11

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
1 CORINTHIANS 10:31

Gods Glory His unbeatable, awe-inspiring character and ability

Glorify God To cause His unbeatable awe-inspiring character and ability to be undeniably made known.

4. We live a sanctied life in order to illustrate the gospel.

11 Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. 12 Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.
1 PETER 2:11-12

5 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16 keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.
1 PETER 3:15-16

sanctied nances
1. God owns everything. 2. The skills and health I have that allow me to make money are made possible by God. 3. God graciously allows me to manage some of His belongings and to keep some for my own needs. 4. God expects me to use my resources for His purposes.

glorify god
Sanctied Finances Gloried God . . . 1. God made humans in His image so they should be valued and cared for. 2. God is characterized by generous giving

illustrate the gospel

Sanctied Finances Gloried God . . . Because Jesus has died for our sins and rose again he forgives us, gives us a righteousness acceptable to God, and enables us by His spirit to overcome our selshness. 1. We are alive to God and dead to sin. 2. We are free from living life for ourselves. 3. We are free from nding our identity and value in material things. 4. We are free from worrying about our security and trusting in ourselves for the future.

sow what ?
1. Its easy to think about pursuing sanctication as a way to get Gods acceptance rather than an evidence of His acceptance. Spend time this week letting God know that you believe you are fully accepted because you are in Christ not because of your efforts to be sanctied.

sow what ?
2. Its easy to elevate ourselves because of moral achievements that come in pursuing sanctication. Do you nd yourself privately thanking God you are not like other less spiritual Christians or non Christians? If we secretly lmed you for a week would we see you express a condemning attitude of disgust toward people who live worldly lifestyles?

sow what ?
3. Spend time reecting on the connection between sanctication and how it enables us to glorify God and illustrate the gospel. If you have not thought this way about sanctication confess any wrong ways you have though about it and ask God to help you see ways your un-sanctied life may be hurting Gods glory or hindering the power of the gospel to impact people who know you.