Tas’loniqim Aleph/1 Thessalonians 4
It is Shabbat! Favour and shalom to you all from our
Master יהושע Messiah; may His loving-kindness
continue to be with us here as we gather together in His Name, unto Him whom
all esteem is due!
Mishlĕ/Proverbs
4:18 “But the path of the righteous is like the light
of dawn, That shines ever brighter unto the perfect day.”
The path of the righteous – that well walked road of those who do
what is just and right – is like the light of dawn that shines brighter and
brighter! As we continue to walk to path of righteousness we become an ever
increasing bright light that keeps getting brighter and brighter unto the
perfect day of our Master’s return. I love this verse for it speaks of a
continuous walk of righteousness by which we are further equipped to be an ever
increasing light in a very dark and sick world! How bright is your walk? Is it
getting brighter as you walk in righteousness or has there been a flickering or
a dullness due to some obstacle in your path? Tonight I want to encourage you
all to continue walking in that which is the only path we know to be valid and
life-giving – and that is to walk in the Torah as we guard to do all we have
been commanded to do, and let our path of righteousness light up every step of
the way as His Word lights up our path:
Tehillim/Psalm
119:105 “Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to
my path.”
In a time where the enemy will do all he can in causing us to lose
the light of our way, we need to remain steadfast and committed to keep walking
as we should and not shrink back in any way from the Truth but rather continue
to press on with our all, and in a message tonight called, “The Call to excel
still more!” I would like us to hear this urgent call to do just that as we all
earnestly seek to excel in the Master even more. Please turn with me to Tas’loniqim Aleph/1 Thessalonians 4 as
we read Sha’ul’s encouragement to the believers in Thessalonica to do even more
(Read).
This letter is a great encouraging letter to a people who
were really living a life that was an example of great faithfulness to many.
The assembly of the Thessalonians were an example to all who believed in
Makedonia and Achaia! What we must understand from this is that this assembly
impacted an entire region which forms the regions of the Greek Peninsula, with
Achaea to the south which is now known as Greece and Makedonia to the north
which lies north of Greece and is in between Albania and Bulgaria. Corinth was
the leading city in Achaea and other cities in this region that we see being
mentioned in Scripture is Philippi, and Berea. The Thessalonians impacted this
entire region and did well to get the message of the Besorah (Good News) of
Messiah out. As you read this letter from Sha’ul we see in chapter 1 how he
commends them for this and how they had turned from idols to serve the True
Elohim; and in chapter 2 he reminds them how his appeal was not done from any
delusion, uncleanness or deceit as he spoke as one approved by Elohim who had been
entrusted with the Besorah:
2:5 “For we never came with a word of flattery, as you know, nor
with a cloak for greed – Elohim is witness –”
Sha’ul never ‘tickled their ears’ but spoke straight, and
he never brought the word with an ulterior motive for gaining wealth as do so
many misguided and twisted false teachers do today. Sha’ul never looked for the
praise of men; and the Thessalonican’s welcomed and received the Word, not as
the word of men, but as it is truly – The Word of Elohim, and he reminds them
that they were their esteem and joy. In chapter 3 he further elaborates on how
he sent Timotiyos to establish them and encourage them in the faith, and
Timotiyos brought back a good report; and Sha’ul tells them to remain steadfast
in the Master as he prayed day and night for them, and by their steadfastness
Sha’ul and others were encouraged to live.
3:8 “Because we now live, if you stand fast in the Master.”
This verse we echo, as we did to you all on Bikkurim (First
Fruits) where Carlien and I made these same statements of how you are all our
esteem and joy before the Master and we continue to live as long as you stand
fast in the Master.
Here in this chapter 4 which we have read tonight, Sha’ul
sets forth a further encouragement to keep up and excel even more in pleasing יהוה, and reminds them to continue to
become more and more set-apart, holding on to the belief in view of the Masters
imminent return and refrain from all form of immorality and unrighteousness. In
Chapter 5 he sets forth some rules/instructions for set-apart living to which
they must hold fast in light of the events that would unfold in the near
future, and be found blameless at the coming of our King and Master, יהושע Messiah. In this closing chapter we
see Sha’ul remind them of how they ought to live and what kind of believers
they ought to be in living set-apart unto Elohim:
1 – Be watchful, for we are not of those who walk in darkness and
so the Day of יהוה should
not overtake us as a thief.
2 – Be encouragers – build each other up, warn the disorderly and
have patience with all.
3 – Be respectful towards those who are over you in the Master and
toward those who admonish you, holding them in the highest regard.
4 – Be merciful and do not return evil for evil, always pursuing
good.
5 – Be joyful, rejoicing at all times.
6 – Be prayerful, praying without ceasing.
7 – Be thankful, always giving thanks in all circumstances.
8 – Be careful – do not quench the Spirit, nor despise prophecies
and test them all, holding fast to what is good and keep back from all
wickedness.
By pressing on in these matters Elohim would set them completely
apart, and preserve their entire being for the Coming of our Master יהושע Messiah.
This is in a nutshell the overview of this 1st letter
to the faithful assembly at Thessalonica. An encouraging message that I believe
is needed to the few remnant faithful who are walking in and staying in the
Living Torah, יהושע Messiah.
And it is with this encouragement in mind that I would like to
look at chapter 4 which actually begins the second section of this letter,
after having commended them on their work of belief up till now.
Here was a people who had eagerly and faithfully responded to the
teaching of Sha’ul on set-apart living; and here Sha’ul focused his
encouragement on the reality that motivation for correct set-apart living is
out of a love for Elohim. While so many today sadly see living a set-apart
lifestyle according to the Torah of Elohim as a set of rules to be obeyed, or a
list of do’s and don’ts to follow or a long list of things to be avoided;
Sha’ul regarded set-apart living as a true outworking of a loving desire to
please Elohim – to please the Master יהושע Messiah,
who had chosen them; and his 3 chapter introduction and encouragement helped
his readers be prepared to respond positively to the exhortations that would
follow.
The instructions given from chapter 4 onwards were in no way
intended to get them to do something totally different but rather to simply be
encouraged to do more of the same! In other words he urged them to press on;
and it is with the same urging on that I come to you tonight with. A simple yet
powerful and much needed boost to help you be pushed to excel yet further in
the Master. In verse 1 and 10 we see the phrase ‘call
upon you’ being used, which is the Greek word παρακαλέω
parakaleō – Strong’s G3870 and means,
‘call
near, invite, invoke, exhort, encourage, appeal, beg’. This word
is used in a variety of forms, for example: a)when summonsing someone to action
that is required; b) to beseech others for an urgent response to help; c) to
exhort as in the context used to encourage soldiers headed for battle; as well
as d) to comfort and encourage especially in times of hardships and grief.
The believers in Thessalonica had
certainly been faithful, yet were also facing the persecution that comes with
set-apart living and the daily temptation to slip back into worldly customs
that surrounded them, and here Sha’ul ‘calls upon them’ to excel in
their belief and set-apart living unto the Master.
In verse 2 he further strengthens
his encouragement reminding them that they know the commands that had been
given them – so press on and keep doing them, more and more!!! All too often
today we see many people who are simply seeking new knowledge for knowledge sake
without any desire to walk in the knowledge as they just want to know all;
while Sha’ul tells them they already know the Truth – now excel in it and press
on to experiencing a greater understanding of the truths that they had already
been given and were practicing to a limited degree.
Yoḥanan Aleph/ 1 John 2:7 “Beloved, I
write no fresh command to you, but an old command which you have had from the
beginning. The old command is the Word which you heard from the beginning.”
Yoḥanan
Aleph/1 John 2;24 “As for you, let that stay in you
which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning stays
in you, you also shall stay in the Son and in the Father.”
We have the Truth and the commands that Elohim has given from the
beginning – it is now time to excel in them for in verse 3 Sha’ul expresses the reason for excelling – and that is
that the desire of Elohim is simply this –
SET-APARTNESS!
How do you excel in your set-apartness? Well for starters – abstain from whoring – so that you know
how to possess your vessel in set-apartness and respect and not do as the
nations do. I find this a timely encouragement for us in light of having just
gone through the torah portion last week in Wayyiqra/Leviticus 18 where Yisra’ĕl was instructed not to do as
they do in Mitsrayim, nor do any of the abominable ways that are done in
Kenaʽan. This instruction was given while in the Wilderness, where Yisra’ĕl
learnt to hear the voice of יהוה, and were
being exhorted to hold fast to the commands of Elohim and not be found slipping
into the ways of the nations! We too, have come out of Mitsrayim and Baḇelon so
to speak and are headed as sojourners for the fulfilment of the Promises in
Messiah when He comes for us again, and we are to not fall back or shrink back
from our obedience but rather do our utmost to excel even more, even when we
think we do not have more to give!!! One of the dangers of having come out of
Mitsrayim is the same danger Yisra’ĕl faced in the Wilderness and that was to
fall into the pagan worship practices of Kenaʽan. We too are to be on our guard
to not fall into the trap of mystical teachings of the Torah through the
interpretation of oral traditions and mysticism of Baḇelon with its many
confusing theologies.
The reason to excel still more in the Master is because of our
desire to please Him. Set-apartness in the Greek is ἁγιασμός
hagiasmos – Strong’s G38 – ‘consecration,
sanctifying’. To ‘consecrate’ means ‘to make or
declare to be set-apart and be devoted to a purpose with the deepest
irrevocable dedication’. We as chosen, set-apart and royal
priesthood unto Elohim declare and make our lives solely devoted to the purpose
of serving and worshipping יהוה our
Elohim, and as we have certainly learnt through the Torah portions of ‘drawing near’ to Elohim that we can
only do so by the Blood of Messiah and as we are continually being set-apart in
Him through an on-going process of being
sanctified as a people for a possession. The Hebrew term equivalent to this
Greek ‘hagiasmos’ is קָדוֹשׁ qadosh –
Strong’s H6918 meaning, ‘consecrated, set-apart’ for
which we have been called:
Shemoth/Exodus 19:6 “and you shall be to
Me a reign of priests and a set-apart nation.’ Those are the words which you
are to speak to the children of Yisra’ĕl.”
Being set-apart has to do with separation and that is exactly what
we have been called to do – be separated from that which is of the world:
Qorintiyim
Bet/2 Corinthians 6:17 “Therefore, “Come out from among
them and be separate, says יהוה, and do not touch what is unclean, and I shall receive you.”
To be set-apart we must not be found to be whoring after the
nations as Yisra’ĕl did and were vomited out by the land! The word used here
for whoring is πορνεία porneia – Strong’s G4202 meaning, ‘fornication, immorality,
sexual immorality’ and comes from the word which means harlot, prostitute
and we get our English word ‘pornography’ from this word. Now while we
must clearly heed the literal and physical meaning here in that we must not
engage in any sexual activities that are unlawful and abominable, which we also
looked at last week in Wayyiqra/Leviticus 18, however what we can also
learn from this is that running after the world’s ways of the flesh and doing
what the world does can also be seen as whoring after other mighty ones;
especially when one’s attempt at worship conforms to a fleshly man-made
systemised form of worship that is against the manner of worship prescribed in the
Torah. As the Bride of Messiah we are to keep ourselves ‘pure and undefiled’
and not be found whoring after the flesh.
We are to be found only to be doing the
desire of Elohim:
Marqos/Mark 3:35 “For whoever does the
desire of Elohim is My brother and My sister and mother.”
Tehillim/Psalm
40:8 “I have delighted to do Your pleasure, O my
Elohim, and Your Torah is within my heart.”
Doing what Elohim desires can only be a delight when we recognise
and have His Torah within our heart, so that we do it, and it takes diligence
and effort and an ability to be a people who will not stop excelling more and
more to grow in the knowledge of the Torah that equips us to do the desire of
Elohim.
Mishlĕ/Proverbs
19:2 “Also, desire without knowledge is not good; and
he who hurries with his feet sins.”
This is very clear – desire without knowledge is not good, and
sadly we see so many who have the desire but lack the knowledge and find
themselves very quickly on the wrong side of the plumb line of the Torah!
Kěpha
Aleph/1 Peter 4:1-3 “Therefore, since Messiah suffered
in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, because he who has
suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,2 so that he no longer lives the rest
of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but according to the desire of
Elohim. 3
For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the desire of the
gentiles, having walked in indecencies, lusts, drunkenness, orgies, wild
parties, and abominable idolatries.”
We may live in the world but we are not of the world and we need
to endure and excel in continually being a set-apart people, pleasing Elohim in
every way;
Iḇ’rim/Hebrews
10:36-39 “For you have need of endurance, so that when
you have done the desire of Elohim, you receive the promise: 37 “For yet a little while – He who is
coming shall come and shall not delay.” 38
“But the righteous shall live by belief, but if anyone draws back, my being has
no pleasure in him.” 39 But
we are not of those who draw back to destruction, but of belief to the
preservation of life.”
How is the desire of Elohim accomplished many may ask… look at
what יהוה says in:
Yeshayahu/Isaiah
55:11 “so is My Word that goes forth from My mouth – it
does not return to Me empty, but shall do what I please, and shall certainly
accomplish what I sent it for.”
A Hebrew equivalent to the Greek word - θέλημα
thelēma – Strong’s
G2307 for ‘desire’ is חָפֵץ chaphets –
Strong’s H2654 and is used in this verse of Yeshayahu
that we translate as ‘I please’. It is His Word that accomplishes His
desire and when we diligently excel in hearing, guarding and doing His Word,
then we do that which He desires, for it is His Word that sets us apart and
equips us to be a spotless Bride.
Tehillim/Psalm 51:6 “See, You have desired
truth in the inward parts, And in the hidden part You make me know wisdom.”
We have been called in set-apartness and
not to uncleanness and so we must stay clean and in order to do that we must
grow more and more in knowledge and discernment that we can love Elohim in the
true set-apartness that He desires:
Pilipiyim/Philippians 1:9 “And this I
pray, that your love might extend more and more in knowledge and all
discernment.”
Kěpha tells us to grow in the favour and
knowledge of our Master and Saviour, יהושע Messiah (Kěpha Bet/2 Peter 3:18).
And so while, as Sha’ul told the
assembly in Thessalonica, that it is not necessary for me to ‘write’ to
you about brotherly love, as you are taught by Elohim to love one another – I
do too, tonight, call upon you to do so more and more!
We are a small assembly in Messiah and
we earnestly desire to please Elohim in all we do and are trusting for greater
growth and so too do we want to be able to impact a region just as the assembly
in Thessalonica did. Now what is required is a call for more… the call to excel
still more and I make this call with urgency.
Sha’ul tells us in Romiyim/Romans 8:8
that those in the flesh cannot please Elohim, and we are to be a people who
walk in Spirit and in Truth and in Romiyim/Romans 7:14 he reminds us
that the Torah is spiritual.
You are being called
upon in the Master יהושע
to excel still more!
When The Word does not find
expression in the daily life of a believer, then - it has simply not been heard!!!
Are you hearing what the Spirit is saying to us as an assembly?
I believe that we have been doing well, and I commend each of you
for your faithful walk – and now I am calling you for more! We have the
opportunity to let this light grow and grow all the more as we together walk in
Righteousness and give our all. You may have been giving your all, just as they
were in Thessalonica – yet today I still call upon you to excel still more –
there is always room to excel in the Master for none of us have arrived.
More and
More is the call – and to this assembly, for we need to grow,
and while we certainly praise יהוה for all
He is doing in our midst, we recognise and realise that the collective life of
the Bride of Messiah is one of open-ended growth where there is always room for
more attention – and this is a joyful thing to do – as we press through
together excelling in the challenges of life in order that we, together, get shining
brighter and brighter unto the Perfect Day that is coming, Aměn!
It is my hope to simply encourage you
all the more to excel in יהוה.
Perhaps you have found that your ability to excel in doing what
pleases יהוה has been
dampened a little of late due to a crazy schedule; and while I certainly
understand the extreme pressure that we all find ourselves under, I stand here
today and echo the words of Sha’ul to an already committed people in that I beg
you and call upon you to excel still more and may our Master direct us and make
us increase as we begin to overflow in love to each other, having our hearts
established as blameless in set-apartness before our Master at His Coming and
be with Him forever.
May we, together as ‘At the
Foot of The Covenant Ministries’, excel still more, as I believe that each
of you here have been placed by the Master Himself and is asking for more.
Shalom
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