1 Thessalonians 4 – Part 1 (Kyle and Alex)

by Opcomm · Published April 12, 2011 · Updated March 17, 2016

Teaching 4.12.11
How does our culture view sex?
- A tool for self-gratification
- You use it to make yourself happy
- “You have to test it before you drive it!”
- It is all about you (What can you get out of it?)
- Peer pressure
- It is a way to show “love”
- A way to control your man to make him stay
- Is this the right way to see this?
  - Animal instincts?
God offers a different opinion
- Sex is supposed to be emotional, beautiful, and good
- It is designed for a specific purpose
- Designed for a lifelong relationship
Proverbs 14:12
- “There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.”
  - Talking about a way that seems right
    - Sex seems and feels right
    - But it ends up not working
  - It is not what you expect it to be
1 Thessalonians 4:1-3
- “Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you excel still more. For you know what commandments we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality;”
  - They are doing well!
  - He tells them to stay that way!
  - Paul knows what to do so he is helping them out
  - He is helping them continually grow towards God
  - He wants them to be sanctified
    - Such an awful word now…
    - Back then it means to be different
  - This is really exciting because God wants us to be different from the culture
    - He wants us to be happy and not go through all of this pain
  - Sexual immorality
    - In Greek, Pornia
      - Defined as all types of sexual immorality
      - Not what God wants for us
1 Thessalonians 4:4-6
- “that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God; and that no man transgress and defraud his brother in the matter because the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also told you before and solemnly warned you.”
  - He is telling us to love and honor the life God has given us
    - Treat it with respect
  - Love and honor is separate from lustful passion
  - This is not a message of condemnation
    - This is a message of encouragement
1 Thessalonians 4:7
- “For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification.”
  - He called us to be different!
- 1 Corinthians 6:18
  - “Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body.”
    - The hurt that can come from misusing sex is really bad
    - There is no way around it
- Sex in the culture has no influence on our lives and walk
- If we have sex whenever we want, it will screw up how we think of sex
Sex is meant for a husband and wife in marriage
- How do you make this work?
  - Centered on God
    - First of all you have to be Christian and have a relationship with God
    - If it is not centered on God, then what is it dependent on?
      - The other person (your hope to make your life work)
      - That is unfair because they have to be the one making your life work
      - God is totally able to meet our needs
        
        He is ALL loving!
        
        You can trust Him to not let you down
        
        He builds unity between you and your significant other
        
        When He is the center, it turns into what God wants
  - Commitment
    - Otherwise, it is just about self-gratification
    - Commitment makes it about the other person
      - This makes the relationship stronger
      - “I’m going to stay with you forever”
      - Commitment does not only apply to marriage
        
        But friendships too
  - Got to be others focused
    - You are focused on their needs
    - “How can I serve you?”
      - Not “What can I get from you?”
      - How do you become the perfect person for someone else?
        
        The ultimate question to get your mind off of yourself
  - All 3 of these make for some great and beautiful sex (within marriage)
    - As God intended it to be
Sex is damaging…
- Every time you have sex with someone, your body is making a promise
- But usually (outside of marriage) that promise is always broken
1 Thessalonians 4:8
- “So, he who rejects this is not rejecting man but the God who gives His Holy Spirit to you.”
  - God’s rules never change from century to century
  - This is an absolute truth!
Steps to Having an Awesome Relationship
- Get on board with God
  - You have to get saved and get to know him
  - 1 John 4:8
    - “The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.”
      - He will show you what love is!
  - When you draw closer to Him you see more and more of His love
  - He helps you understand what His love is
  - He helps you not feel lonely anymore
  - What about for those who are already damaged?
    - You are not damned to suffer forever
    - Matthew 11:28
      - “Come to me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.”
        
        You can find rest in Jesus Christ