And to Please God

In this part of the sermon: Martin begins by establishing the continuity between 1 Thessalonians 3 and 4, explaining that Paul's prayer and longing for the Thessalonians' perfection naturally lead to…

Martin uses the analogy of chapter and verse divisions in the Bible to explain that while they are helpful for location, they can sometimes obscure the continuous flow of the original text, leading to missed blessings.

understanding, and in our location of the Bible. And so though we may criticize the artificial divisions, if you've ever read a New Testament where they've done away with all divisions, you're thankful that somebody divided it up into chapters and verses, even though at times I think the fellow who did it was getting kind of sleepy, and his thinking wasn't too clear when he ends a chapter a sentence too soon or a sentence too late. But with all the problems, it still is helpful that when we read, let's remember, that these divisions were not there, and so often we forget. And when we forget, w...

1:28 - 2:09 Read in full sermon

The point: Examine your heart: if the motive of pleasing God does not move you, you are not a Christian.

He uses the analogy of a fish being pleased in water and a bird in the open heavens to explain that holy living pleases God because it is suitable to His nature, just as a creature is pleased in its natural element.

The fact that Herod was pleased with a licentious dance was the revelation that he had a licentious heart and a corrupt nature. The fact that the multitude of disciples were pleased at the solving of this problem is an indication that they were believers who loved peace and they loved equity and righteousness, so this pleased them. A fish is pleased when it's turned loose. In a stream or in an ocean or a lake, it's not pleased if you turn it loose on a superhighway because it's contrary to its nature to be on a highway. Conversely, a bird is pleased when you turn it loose to the open heavens, ...

10:28 - 11:51 Read in full sermon

The point: Examine your heart: if the motive of pleasing God does not move you, you are not a Christian.

Martin poses a hypothetical scenario where he promises good health for 80 years if they follow the sermon's instructions, illustrating how many would be motivated by self-interest rather than pleasing God.

Now suppose I were to say, at the outset of our study of chapters 4 and 5, if you will follow the how of godly walking, in chapters 4 and 5, it will secure for you good health until 80 years of age. Would you sit there on the edge of your seat and really listen and say, boy, if here's a formula how I can go through the next 20, 30, 40 years without being sick, man, I'm interested. I really love having good health. And I love it enough to listen to the directions of these two chapters and to set myself to follow them no matter how much I must inconvenience myself, I'm going to follow them, I wa...

15:01 - 15:43 Read in full sermon

The point: Live a life that brings delight to the heart of God, accepting that this is the only promise and highest motivation.

He poses another hypothetical scenario where he promises freedom from debt for 20-30 years, further illustrating how self-interested motives often overshadow the desire to please God.

There's some of you that would follow for that motivation. If I were to say, if you follow and have as your end that studying these two chapters and obeying them, I guarantee that you'll learn how to live well on a limited income and have no debts for the next 20 or 30 years. Oh, there'd be some of you right on the edge of your seat and say, man, I'd just love to be able to get out of debt. And stay out of debt, and if these chapters can tell me how, boy, I'll listen.

15:43 - 16:11 Read in full sermon

Driving home: A specific direction coming with valid authority binding the receiver to implicit obedience.

He uses the example of a person commanding a car to stop, contrasting it with a police officer showing a badge, to illustrate that a command requires valid authority to bind the receiver to obedience.

You're on your way home today. Some guy may walk out in the middle of the street dressed in his Sunday cities and hold his hand up and command you to stop. Well, you won't stop unless you have to run him over and out of general kindness. But you won't stop on the basis of his command unless you recognize proper authority with that command.

20:37 - 20:56 Read in full sermon

Driving home: I've got a sneaking suspicion they've got rebel hearts that have never been subdued by the grace of God.

He uses the analogy of his own children obeying his commands out of love to explain that there is no legalism when love is present in the relationship, contrasting it with rebellious hearts.

And so if we have any idea that love and command are irreconcilable, this is not the teaching of Scripture. This is not the teaching of Scripture. There is no legalism when a man loves his God any more than when my children love me and I say to them, calling them by name, Joel or Heidi or Beth, do this, please. Sure, Daddy, be glad to.

29:45 - 30:11 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin introduces 'abound more and more' as the measure of holy living, acknowledging the Thessalonians' current godly walk but exhorting them to continuous growth. He explains…

He uses the metaphor of a flowing stream becoming a stagnant pool to exhort believers to continuous spiritual growth, with wider banks and deeper channels, rather than accepting the status quo.

You are living by them and that to a large degree, but I beg you and encourage you in truth more and more. In terms of Mr. Sterritt's message last Sunday morning, don't let the flowing stream become a stagnant pool. Let its banks get wider and its channel deeper and its influence greater.

33:39 - 34:05 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin introduces 'abound more and more' as the measure of holy living, acknowledging the Thessalonians' current godly walk but exhorting them to continuous growth. He explains…

He recounts how the Thessalonians' faith was spoken of throughout the earth, illustrating how easy it would be for them to become complacent, which Paul then counters with the exhortation to 'abound more and more'.

We studied that in detail in chapter one. But now he says, don't accept the status quo. Don't compare yourselves with others. Sure, your faith is spoken about.

34:48 - 35:00 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin introduces 'abound more and more' as the measure of holy living, acknowledging the Thessalonians' current godly walk but exhorting them to continuous growth. He explains…

He uses a hypothetical scenario where he returns from preaching and reports that everyone already knows about Trinity Baptist Church's godliness, illustrating the temptation to pride and complacency.

We hear. They themselves reported us what manner of entering in we had unto you. Well, they could pretty well sit back. Suppose everywhere I went to preach and I start to open my mouth and I said, you know, the Lord's been good to us there at the Trinity.

35:10 - 35:25 Read in full sermon

The point: Wives, be subject in your home, recognizing that this is God speaking.

He shares an anecdote about being in a preachers' home where conversation was impossible due to undisciplined children, illustrating the breakdown of biblical order in families and its impact.

Even this week as I've been in the home of preachers we couldn't carry on a decent conversation at the table because of kids who haven't been made to discipline their mouths.

45:02 - 45:16 Read in full sermon