The Prepared Life: Walking in Unity
Dr. Ernest L. Easley
1 Thessalonians 4:9-12
January 12, 2000
Now with our Bibles opened to the book of 1st Thessalonians, we are reminded that the good news of the gospel is that Jesus Christ was coming; Jesus Christ has come! And that Jesus Christ is coming again!
We ought to live each day as though Jesus Christ died this morning, arose this afternoon and is coming back tonight! That's what the book of 1st Thessalonians is all about! Knowing that Jesus is coming again, that we need to be living a prepared life!
So what does that mean? What does it mean to live a prepared life? Well, that's what we're thinking about tonight as we pick up where we left off last week. Look with me to chapter 4. Last week from chapter 4:1-8, we learned that living the prepared life involves walking in purity.
4.1b, "...you ought to walk to please God." And again, the word translated "walk" speaks of your lifestyle, your conduct, your behavior!
So what kind of conduct pleases God? Verse 4, "For this is the will of God, your sanctification." Sanctification speaks of Separation! It's that process of becoming more like Jesus!
Now in one sense, we have been sanctified. That took place when we were saved. God set us apart for His purpose. But not only have we been sanctified, we are being sanctified! Day by day, week by week as we pray and study the Word of God and as we worship and witness.
Now, that's encouraging to me! For that tells me that God's not through with me! And it reminds me that I've not arrived! There is still more for me to experience! That's why Paul say back in verse 1, "...that you should abound more and more..." This word translated "abound" (periseuete) means to touch everything in its path, like a fire!
In other words, we're to keep growing! We're to keep deepening our understanding of the Word of God! We're to keep deepening our faith in God! "That you should abound more and mor ...
Dr. Ernest L. Easley
1 Thessalonians 4:9-12
January 12, 2000
Now with our Bibles opened to the book of 1st Thessalonians, we are reminded that the good news of the gospel is that Jesus Christ was coming; Jesus Christ has come! And that Jesus Christ is coming again!
We ought to live each day as though Jesus Christ died this morning, arose this afternoon and is coming back tonight! That's what the book of 1st Thessalonians is all about! Knowing that Jesus is coming again, that we need to be living a prepared life!
So what does that mean? What does it mean to live a prepared life? Well, that's what we're thinking about tonight as we pick up where we left off last week. Look with me to chapter 4. Last week from chapter 4:1-8, we learned that living the prepared life involves walking in purity.
4.1b, "...you ought to walk to please God." And again, the word translated "walk" speaks of your lifestyle, your conduct, your behavior!
So what kind of conduct pleases God? Verse 4, "For this is the will of God, your sanctification." Sanctification speaks of Separation! It's that process of becoming more like Jesus!
Now in one sense, we have been sanctified. That took place when we were saved. God set us apart for His purpose. But not only have we been sanctified, we are being sanctified! Day by day, week by week as we pray and study the Word of God and as we worship and witness.
Now, that's encouraging to me! For that tells me that God's not through with me! And it reminds me that I've not arrived! There is still more for me to experience! That's why Paul say back in verse 1, "...that you should abound more and more..." This word translated "abound" (periseuete) means to touch everything in its path, like a fire!
In other words, we're to keep growing! We're to keep deepening our understanding of the Word of God! We're to keep deepening our faith in God! "That you should abound more and mor ...
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