‘Excelling at gospel living in a low-standard world’ (1 Thessalonians 4:1-12)

The ability to walk is something that most of us take for granted. It’s only if and when we lose that ability we realise that learning to walk all over again is hard. The Bible also lays emphasis upon how God’s people should ‘walk’ -in the sense of how we conduct ourselves as ‘chidren of the light’. In 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12, Paul lays down some practical teaching for these believers to follow. Even though they once lived in a different kind of way – that is, like the rest of the world – now they were called to live and to ‘walk’ in a way that pleased God, and by doing this, they would show to the world around them that the gospel really had made a difference in daily living.

Service

00:00 Welcome
Song: What a Friend We Have in Jesus
00:18 Introduction
00:42 Prayer
05:31 Bible reading: Ephesians 4:17-32
Song: O Lord My Rock
07:27 Kids’ Talk
Song: Follow the Saviour
12:24 Bible reading: 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12
Song: O Great God
Sermon: 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12
Song: Teach Me Thy Way
14:12 Closing

Outline

Aussie sports champions

A commitment to doing better and better!

Walking – one of Paul’s favourite themes!

Here Paul tells us about godliness and how we are to walk…

Godliness in personal life: walk in holiness (v.1-8)

Godliness in church life: walk in harmony (v.9-10)

Godliness in the world: walk in honesty (v.11-12)

The works and words of Eric Liddell
Excel at these things – do them ‘more and more’!