God's Got You

While I think that this father was a bit misguided in his parenting, there is a part of that that is true for all of us. The sin that has stained our lives from birth makes us unfit for a relationship with God. But God made a way for us to be back into a good relationship. He hasn’t and won’t give up on us.

Sometimes it’s easy to think that our spiritual lives and our physical lives are separated - what we believe and sing and pray on Sunday is detached from the other days of the week. But just as Hiccup’s father gestured to all of Hiccup as being inadequate - so too, we learn in these final verses of 1 Thessalonians that God’s work in us is not just in our spirit, or our minds, but in all of who we are.

Background:

church established in an environment of persecution

Paul celebrated and thanked God for their genuine faith

They faced some challenges - in living out the christian life - but Paul corrects that

They also had some misunderstanding in the how and when Christ will return - so Paul informed them.

Here in the closing verses, Paul offers up a sort of summary prayer and a few final exhortations. I want to focus on Paul’s prayer, because I think it speaks volumes about God’s work in us.

1 Thessalonians 5:23–24 ESV

Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.

We might even summarize it this way:

The God of peace who calls all of you will sanctify and keep all of you blameless until Jesus returns.

First of all, I think see in this prayer that...

God calls all of you

God calls, but he doesn’t need to pick up a phone in order to reach us.

He calls - He initiates this relationship with you and me.

Pascal has said that there is a God shaped void inside of each of us - there is something in us that is longing for him - which is in part why there are so many different religions.

We think that we have to perform in order to appease or make God happy. But that’s the way that religion works.

Charles Spurgeon has said...

Beloved, here is a test for us—is our religion a receiving religion, or is it a working and an earning religion? An earning religion sends souls to Hell. It is only a receiving religion that will take you to Heaven. A Consistent Walk For Time To Come, Volume 53, Sermon #3030 - Colossians 2:6

Charles Spurgeon

But in our relationship with God - it’s God who calls, God who starts the process, God reaches out with His Holy Spirit to draw you into a relationship with him.

Not only does God call you, but God’s calls all of you - all of who you are.

Look at the passage we’re considering:

1 Thessalonians 5:23 (ESV)

Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

God doesn’t just want part of you. He’s not just working in one aspect of your being. We learn in these verses that the God of peace, who is making peace between us and him, is calling all of you and all of me.

He doesn’t just want your mind/soul - that would only affect how you think.

He doesn’t just want your spirit - that would only affect your prayerful interaction of him.

He doesn’t just want your body - that would mean you’d be a virtual robot - mindlessly obeying every command.

God calls all of you - body, soul (or mind) and spirit. We should get see that lived out.

Faith always shows itself in the whole personality.

David Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Jesus, when he died on the cross died to save all of you, set you and me apart for him. Which bring us to our second point -

God consecrates all of you

This word “consecrate” has to do with setting a part for holiness. It’s related to the word we see in our text - “sanctify” - or to make holy. We discussed this a few weeks ago.

Designation: There is a part of consecration/sanctification that is immediate and declarative (my yeti- it’s declared/set apart as mine). The salvation we receive through Jesus Christ designates us as holy unto the Lord.

Identification: Being identified as being with Jesus - other people see that

Association: Our actions more and more are associated with the holiness/sanctification to which we have been designated.

Its like carving a piece of wood or stone. When God saves us, he declares that we are his. He then begins the work of cutting away the sinful behaviors - attitudes, desires, words, thoughts, actions. It’s a long process and it’s sometimes painful but God is patient and is working on us, perfecting us for eternity. Wow, what a masterpiece that will be. 30, 50, 70, 90, 110 years on earth, enjoyed for an eternity with him.

How does he do that carving work in us?

I’m glad you asked.

It seems that God refines us, shapes us, sanctifies us with positive things - from his word, from other Christians, from His Spirit.

But he also carves, sanctifies, forms us with things that we might see as negative by using difficult people and situations to challenge our way of thinking or our old ways of reacting. He allows sickness, failure, and persecution as a way of removing old habits that can be replace with the positive things he’s adding.

This consecrating and sanctifying work can be painful, but it will be worth it as we get to enjoy the fruit of God’s work in our lives for eternity.

So God calls you and when you respond, he consecrates all of you. Thirdly,

God keeps all of you

One of the things we see in this passage is that Jesus will “keep” our whole being - body, mind, spirit - as blameless. Yes we will still do wrong things, but once we’ve been redeemed or consecrated for him - we are his forever. We are preserved, sealed for eternity.

Since it is God who does the saving and the keeping - it’s up to him to accomplish all that he intends to - the sanctifying work.

The Message translation says:

1 Thessalonians 5:24 MSG

The One who called you is completely dependable. If he said it, he’ll do it!

Since it’s up to him - you and I can’t lose our salvation. Our eternal destiny is sealed up in him.

Once we are consecrated as his, we are his forever.

One of my favorite worship songs is “He will hold me fast.”

Verse 1

When I fear my faith will fail, Christ will hold me fast; When the tempter would prevail, He will hold me fast.

I could nev-er keep my hold Through life’s fearful path; For my love is often cold; He must hold me fast.

Verse 2

Those He saves are His de - light, Christ will hold me fast; Precious in his holy sight, He will hold me fast.

He’ll not let my soul be lost; His promises shall last; Bought by Him at such a cost, He will hold me fast.

Verse 3

For my life He bled and died, Christ will hold me fast; Justice has been satis-fied; He will hold me fast. Raised with Him to endless life, He will hold me fast ‘Till our faith is turned to sight, When He comes at last!

Chorus

He will hold me fast, He will hold me fast;

For my Savior loves me so, He will hold me fast.

Beloved, when things are difficult, when life seems hopeless, when the trials seem endless - rest in the confidence of knowing that He will hold you fast. He will keep you.

So, as we think more personally about the fact that God calls all of you, consecrates all of you, and keeps all of you, there is one final point that I’d like us to consider, that...

God compels all of you

In theological terms, we could refer to this as Irresistible Grace - or the compelling way that God draws people into a relationship with him. It’s as though we can’t help but respond.

Though the irresistible grace of God in calling sinners is forceful and compelling, it works in such a way that the sinner’s will is so renewed that he comes to Christ gladly and willingly.

Joel Beeke

It’s as though we get to respond.

Have you responded to His compelling call?

for your salvation (The ABCD’s of Salvation)

Admit - that you’re a sinner in need of forgiveness and God’s grace

Believe - that Jesus died on the cross, paying the just penalty for your sin.

Commit - to learn, grow and live in a way that pleases God.

Declare - through baptism - go public with your faith.

for your sanctification - your progress toward holiness - are you gradually yielding to the convicting and refining work of the Spirit in your life? Do the work of becoming more like Christ - with the help of

the Spirit,

the Word, and

the church - but trust that he will accomplish all that he intends.

Closing Thoughts

At the beginning, we summarized this passage by saying...

The God of peace who calls all of you will sanctify and keep all of you blameless until Jesus returns.

God calls all of you into a relationship with Him

God consecrates all of you for his glory

God keeps all of you until Jesus’ returns

God compels all of you to live for him.

In “How To Train Your Dragon” - Hiccup was different from other people and needed to live a life that was consistent with who he was created to be. At the end of the movie, there is a joyous scene where the dragons and the people of Berk coexist in a peaceful relationship together. Stoic, Hiccup’s father gestured to his son and said “It turns out we needed more of this.” To which Hiccup replied - “You just gestured to all of me.”

I believe that when we allow all of who we are to be all that God wants us to be, then He will do impactful things through us.

God’s got you. Do you have him?

Benediction

1 Thessalonians 5:28 ESV

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Discussion Questions:

How is a religious activity different from the relationship into which God calls us? Why is that significant?

How does God consecrate or sanctify us? What is our role in the sanctifying process? What is Jesus’ role?

How does our salvation impact our bodies? Minds? Spirit?

We didn’t cover all of the verses in the sermon. Here are a few questions on the other verses:

Paul asks the Thessalonians to pray for “us” (Paul and his companions). Who are people that are like a “Paul” in your life? How do you pray for them?

What do you think is a “holy kiss”? What does that look like in our context?

Paul urged that the letter be read to all of the “brothers (and sisters” in the church. Why is it important that we read the Word of God aloud?

Sources:

Constable, Thomas L. “1 Thessalonians.” In The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, edited by J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985.

Green, Gene L. The Letters to the Thessalonians. The Pillar New Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: W.B. Eerdmans Pub.; Apollos, 2002.

Holmes, Michael. 1 and 2 Thessalonians. The NIV Application Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1998.

Stott, John R.W. The Message of 1 & 2 Thessalonians. The Bible Speaks Today. Downers Grove, IL; Intervarsity Press, 1991.