We'll begin our worship together by singing to God's praise in Psalm 29 in the Scottish Psalter
version, page 238 of the psalm books. We're singing from verse 1 to verse 5. The tune is
Amazing Grace, and this psalm reminds us of coming into the presence of God, coming to worship our
Lord. Give ye unto the Lord, ye sons, that of the mighty be all strength and glory to the Lord,
with cheerfulness give ye. And to the Lord the glory give, that to his name is due, and in the
beauty of holiness unto Jehovah. So we come to worship God with these words, verse 1 to 5, to God's praise.
Give ye unto the Lord Jesus, that of the mighty be all strength and glory to the Lord,
the Lord with cheerfulness give ye. And to the Lord the glory give, that to his name is due.
And in the beauty of holiness unto Jehovah.
God of majesty, the thunder and on multitude of water set doth he. A powerful voice,
O majesty, the thunder and on multitude of water set doth he. A powerful voice,
O Tumres
That comes out from the Lord most high.
The voice of that great Lord is full of glorious majesty.
The voice of the eternal God.
Asunder, see, the same.
Yea, God the Lord does see the spring.
That left and on does pay.
Amen.
Let's join together in prayer.
Now let us pray.
Our Father in heaven, we thank you anew for this day.
We thank you for the blessing that is ours to come to worship you and to praise your name together.
And we thank you for these words that we've sung together that remind us of how worthy you are of all our worship.
That you are the only one who is worth worshipping in this world.
And we thank you that as we come to worship, we have that reminder that you are a God who speaks to us.
That your word is powerful and mighty.
And even as we've sung that the voice of the Lord is a powerful voice that comes from you on most high.
And we pray that together as we worship you, we will know your blessing upon us.
That each one of us, Lord, will hear you and seek to know you more and more.
That as we learn about you, as we learn through your word in the church here and in Sunday school and Cresce and Tweenies as well.
That your word will be beautiful for us.
That it will be something that we treasure.
Something that we love to hear and to read for ourselves as well.
And teach us by it, Lord.
That you will show us your goodness and mercy all the days of our lives.
And that you will remind us that in you is all beauty and glory.
We can be distracted by so many things in this world.
And even from a young age, we can be caught up in looking for the things of this world that we think will satisfy us.
Whether it's technology or friendships or whatever it may be that lead us away from you.
But help us, Lord, to know you as a great friend who stays close to us.
So bless us together now, Lord.
Be with us.
Be with all the young ones here today as we will shortly go out to the Sunday school.
Lord, bless them and be with them.
And gather us all in your name here just now.
And watch over us, we pray.
In Jesus' name.
Amen.
It's good for us to be together worshipping God.
We enjoy, I hope, worshipping God in different times during the week as well.
We worship him as we come and read his word together.
And we do that by ourselves as well.
It's good to read God's word.
He speaks to us through it.
That's what that psalm that we reminded us of.
That the Lord's voice is a powerful voice.
And he speaks to us.
I just want to think for a minute about where our treasure is.
In the Gospel of Luke, we read there in chapter 12, verse 34.
And it says these words,
For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
So there's a question there for us.
Where is your treasure?
Treasure.
And what is your treasure?
Has anyone ever done a treasure hunt?
I'm sure a number of you have done treasure hunts at different points.
Whether it's maybe at a birthday party.
Maybe it's at a special time of year.
Very often at Easter time, there's a treasure hunt.
Or it might have been if you were at the holiday clubs the last couple of summers.
Or the explorers groups as well.
And you think about treasure hunts.
And what do you need when you're doing a treasure hunt?
Well, you need things like either a clue or a map.
So if you're going by clues, you find one clue, you read it,
and it will show you then where you go to find the next clue.
And you hope eventually you're going to find the treasure.
Or if you've got a map, it does the same thing, but in a different way.
The map will show maybe places you have to go to.
And it will show you the way to get there.
It will show you maybe lines on the map.
And you've got to follow these tracks, finding your way until you find the treasure.
And what's more exciting?
Is it looking and searching?
Or is it when you find the treasure?
Because sometimes you might find a treasure and you might be disappointed with it.
You might think, is that it?
Because after all that time hunting, is this all I get?
Maybe just a little pack of sweets or something like that.
And you think, oh, I should have got so much more.
I put so much effort into it.
Well, the Bible tells us that when we look to God, that we'll never be disappointed.
And every one of us here, not just the young ones, every one of us here,
from the youngest to the oldest, we're all on a treasure hunt in life.
We're all looking for something that's going to satisfy us,
that's going to make us happy and make us glad when we find it.
But so often we're looking in the wrong place.
And that's why Jesus says here,
where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
There will your heart be also.
And that means, what do you love?
What do you love in this life?
Are you looking for treasure away from God that you think,
this is what's going to make me happy?
Or are you looking for the treasure that God offers in his word?
That he gives us his own son to be our treasure.
That he gives us his word to show us the way to him.
We're on a journey, every one of us.
We're on a treasure hunt.
But what treasure are we looking for?
And where is our heart today?
Does your heart love God and his word?
Or does your heart love other things in this world?
The Bible tells us to love the Lord our God with all our heart.
And then we'll find our treasure in him.
And we'll rejoice all the days of our lives.
So we're all on a treasure hunt.
And let's all pray that our hearts will be seeking the right treasure.
The treasure that God offers us in his son, Christ Jesus.
Well, let's say the Lord's Prayer together now.
Amen.
Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever.
Amen.
We're going to sing again to God's praise, this time in Psalm 40.
Again, we're in the Scottish Psalter version, Psalm 40, page 260 of the Psalm books.
We're going to sing from verse 7 to verse 10, the end of double verse 10, the tune is martyrdom.
Then to the Lord, these were my words.
I come, behold and see, within the volume of the book it written is of me.
To do thy will I take delight.
O thou my God that art, yea, that most holy law of thine I have within my heart.
It's about the treasure of having God's word in our hearts and to do God's will.
So we'll sing from verse 7 to 10 to God's praise.
pers, yes.
Amen.
Thanks.
Amen.
Thank you.
Amen.
Then to the Lord is where my words I come behold and see.
Within the volume of the book a treasure is of me.
To do thy will I take delight.
O come, my God, that art, yea, that most holy love of night.
I have within my heart.
Within the congregation grave, I rise just as to preach.
Though thou just so, O Lord, that I regret and not my speech.
I never parted within my heart until thy righteousness.
I thy salvation have declared and shown thy faithfulness.
Thy kindness which most loving is.
Conceal the lamb, not I.
Not from the congregation grave.
I have within my heart.
I am.
We're going to turn to reading God's Word in 1 Thessalonians.
1 Thessalonians.
We take up our reading in chapter 3 and at verse 6.
And we read down into chapter 4 down to the end of verse 12.
1 Thessalonians chapter 3, reading from verse 6.
Now that Timothy has come to us from you and has brought us the good news of your faith and love.
And reported that you always remember us kindly and long to see us as we long to see you.
For this reason, brothers, in all our desires and affliction, we have been comforted about you through your faith.
For now we live if you are standing fast in the Lord.
For what thanksgiving can we return to God for you?
For all the joy that we feel for your sake before our God,
as we pray most earnestly night and day,
that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith.
Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus direct our way to you.
And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all,
as we do for you, so that he may establish your hearts,
blameless in holiness, before our God and Father
at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.
Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus
that as you received from us how you ought to live and to please God,
just as you are doing, that you do so more and more.
For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.
For this is the will of God, your sanctification,
that you abstain from sexual immorality,
that each one of you know how to control his own body
in holiness and honour,
not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles,
who do not know God,
that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter,
because the Lord is an avenger in all these things,
as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you.
For God has not called us for impurity,
but in holiness.
Therefore, whoever disregards this,
disregards not man,
but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.
Now concerning brotherly love,
you have no need for anyone to write to you,
for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another.
For that indeed is what you are doing
to all the brothers throughout Macedonia.
But we urge you, brothers,
to do this more and more,
and to aspire to live quietly,
and to mind your own affairs,
and to work with your hands,
as we instructed you,
so that you may live properly before outsiders,
and be dependent on no one.
And so on.
And may God add his blessing
to that reading of his word.
Again, join together in prayer.
Let us pray.
O Lord, our gracious God,
you are a holy God,
who we have no right to approach in so many ways,
for we are unworthy of it.
We are unclean before you because of our sin.
We should not be able to stand upon
the very holy ground that you give to us.
And yet we thank you that you are a God
who has opened a way for us
to come through a name that is mighty,
a name that is powerful,
the one who is your own Son,
Jesus Christ,
that we have been taught
through him
how to approach you,
even how we approach you in prayer.
As he taught the disciples,
we are reminded ourselves
that that is how we can come
to call upon you
as our Father in heaven.
And we thank you
that there is that wonderful power
in that relationship
that we come,
bringing all our cares and concerns to you,
but first and foremost,
giving you praise and honor and glory.
And we do thank you, too,
that we have instruction
as to how we are to live
and that we are to seek to please you
more and more
as we have read
in these words before us.
And as we come to study them, Lord,
as we seek to learn from them,
may you help us
to have teachable hearts
and to know the power of your Spirit
speaking to us
that we would not grieve you.
We thank you that you are one,
even as we've read in these words,
too,
who has given his Holy Spirit to us.
And we pray, Lord,
that we would not seek
to grieve that Holy Spirit,
that we would not seek
to turn away from you
as many have done
and as many still do,
but that we would seek
all the more
to walk closely with you,
to walk humbly before you
and to walk in a manner
worthy of you.
And we know that we cannot
do this alone.
And we pray, Lord,
for your grace
and your mercy to help,
to help us
in all our different needs,
that we would keep our eyes
fixed on you,
that we would look to Jesus
as the one who is the author,
the perfecter of faith.
And even as a people of faith,
Lord, we know
how far short we fall
and how dependent we are upon you
day by day.
And so, Lord,
may you continue to build us up
as your people.
May you work in us
to make us
into the people
you would have us to be,
to take away
the many blemishes
that are in our hearts
and in our lives, Lord.
We know that we will never
be perfect in this world,
but we seek, Lord,
to be a people
who will always
look to please you
in whatever way we can.
And we thank you
that you do not leave us
alone in this,
but as we will study
your word together today,
we are reminded
that you are working in us.
And we pray
that we would know it
and that your church
would know it
and that the world
would know it,
that you are a God
who is mighty to work,
that you are a God
who is mighty to change,
to change even the most
wicked of heart
and to use it
for your glory.
So, Lord,
we pray your blessing
upon us as a people,
upon your word
as it goes out today,
that powerful word.
Lord,
we thank you
that it is
so powerful
because it is sent
from you.
It is not the words
of men,
but the words of God.
And we pray
that it will be heard
far and wide today,
that it will be received
with great gladness
and humbling
and repenting today.
And we pray that
throughout the world,
that as your word
goes out,
Lord,
you would accompany it
with your blessing.
blessed to us here as well,
Lord,
as we commit ourselves
to you.
And in this coming week,
Lord,
we ask that you would
go before us
to teach us
by your spirit
and by your word
in all things.
And as we look ahead
to a communion time
in our midst,
Lord,
we pray
for a sense,
a real sense
of your peace
and your blessing
over us,
a sense of your
building us up
together as a people
in brotherly love
as we have read of
in this passage as well.
That you would unite us
in the cords of love
and under the banner
of the gospel
to rejoice in your goodness
to us.
That we would make sure
our treasure is found
in you.
That we would seek first
the kingdom of God
and that all other things
would be added unto us.
And so, Lord,
guide us in this week ahead.
Guide us collectively
and individually
as well,
we pray
that as we approach
a communion season
we would do so
prayerfully,
praying for one another
and praying for ourselves
too
and praying
for your glory
to be in our midst.
Bless the preachers
who will come
to minister to us.
We pray for each of them
who will be involved
in the communion weekend.
We pray for Reverend
Angus McRae
and the Reverend
Carl MacDonald
as they prepare
for the weekend ahead,
Lord,
that you will guide them
by your spirit
that you will give them
the words to speak.
Words that will
both challenge
and convict us
but also encourage us
and build us up.
We pray for a real sense
of unity
in our time together.
We pray too, Lord,
for all aspects
of your church
not just here
in our midst
but throughout
our islands,
throughout our presbytery
here.
we pray for all
our congregations
as we begin
our communion season
again, Lord.
We pray that
there will be a sense
of your pouring out
your spirit over us
as a people,
reviving us in our hearts
and building up
your church.
We pray that
throughout our land,
Lord,
that your church
will be blessed by you,
that you would build it up
in our midst
and restore our land
once again
to be a place
where your name
is lifted high,
a place where your name
is glorified,
where we would not
be ashamed
of the name
of Jesus Christ,
that we would lift it up
as a banner over us,
the banner
that is so needed
in our day
and in our times.
We pray that
that as your people
go out in the world
far and wide
to all ends
of the earth,
we thank you
that you have
your people
called to minister
to young and old,
to men and women
throughout all the many
countries of this world,
even from our own midst
here, Lord,
we thank you
that you have called
people to serve you
and we pray for them,
Lord,
we pray your blessing
over everyone
of your people,
many who would feel
perhaps isolated
and lonely at times,
fearful even,
and yet, Lord,
to know
the great courage
that you are able
to give,
the blessing
of knowing
that you are with them.
We pray that
for all of us,
Lord,
together as a people
in homes and families
and all our different needs,
that we would know
your great faithfulness
to us, Lord,
that you never leave us
or forsake us.
And we pray, Lord,
for many who may be
needing you
in different ways
of times of ill health,
times of grief
and sorrow,
times of falling away
from you
in different ways.
we pray, Lord,
that your voice,
that mighty voice
would be heard by you,
by your people
near and far.
Continue to bless us
throughout this day,
Lord,
watch over us,
hear our prayers
collectively together
and individually too,
that as we offer up
our thanks
and our praise to you,
it will be acceptable
before you.
And we ask
all these things
knowing our sin,
knowing the sin
of our hearts
and thought,
word,
and inaction as well.
And we pray forgiveness
for all our sin.
Cleanse us anew,
we pray,
and go before us now
in all things,
teaching us by your Spirit
to walk closely with you
as we ask it
in Jesus' precious name.
Amen.
Before we turn back
to look at our passage
this morning together,
we'll sing in Psalm 15.
Psalm 15,
in the Sing Psalms version,
in page 16
of the Psalm books,
we can sing
the whole of this Psalm.
The tune is
St. Andrew.
Psalm 15,
Lord,
who may stay
within your tent,
your sacred dwelling place,
and who upon
your holy hill
may live before your face,
whoever walks
a blameless path,
who acts
in righteousness,
and who will always
from the heart
sincerely truth express.
We'll sing
the whole of this Psalm
to God's praise.
Amen.
Lord,
who may stay
within your tent,
your sacred dwelling place,
and who upon
your holy hill
may live before your face,
who ever walks
a blameless path,
who acts in righteousness,
and who will always from the heart,
sincerely truth express.
He casts no blood on anyone,
nor does his day
in the wrong.
He has no sight
within his heart,
or slander
on his tongue.
He on the soul
to fear the Lord,
the worthless
in his eyes.
He gives the oath
which he has sworn,
however high the price.
He lets his money
and no charge,
no pride
can he
during the deathَ
will always stand secure.
Well, we can turn back together for a time
to 1 Thessalonians chapter 4.
We're going to look at verse 1 to 8 in particular together.
Just now we can read from verse 1 there.
Finally then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus
that as you received from us how you ought to live
and to please God, just as you are doing,
that you do so more and more.
For you know that the instruction we gave through the Lord Jesus,
for this is the will of God,
your sanctification, and so on.
The title of this morning's sermon is
What is Your Chief End?
And I'm sure there's many of you here
who will be familiar with that question.
It's a question perhaps you've been familiar with
from a very young age.
What is the chief end of man?
Now, if you don't know where it's from,
if you're new to that question,
then it's from the Shorter Catechism,
which has been an important source of teaching
throughout the church for many generations now.
The Shorter Catechism is a collection of questions and answers
all based on the Word of God.
Here's one example of that.
It's a book.
Sometimes it's much smaller.
This actually contains the Westminster Confession of Faith
along with the Shorter Catechism and the Longer Catechism.
So you have these three different documents in one book,
but very often you find they come individually as well.
And the Shorter Catechism book is sometimes just a very small book.
And for many of us, we learned it in our young age.
And perhaps for some,
maybe the only question that you remember is,
what is the chief end of man?
And you know, the answer perhaps,
the chief end of man is to glorify God
and to enjoy him forever.
But what does that mean?
What does the question mean?
And what does the answer mean?
They're both important for us to understand,
even what Paul is writing to the Thessalonians here.
What is the chief end?
What is our purpose in life?
That's really what the question is asking.
What is our purpose?
And then the answer to that question is,
our chief end,
our purpose is to glorify God
and to enjoy him forever.
Glorify God means to give him all the worship
and praise that is due to him.
But what does it mean to enjoy him
and to enjoy him forever?
Maybe we think that's something
that's further down the road.
That's something maybe even for eternity,
that that's when we will enjoy him.
But it's not just for eternity.
Yes, there's a sense of the day will come
when we will fully enjoy him in that sense.
But that's not to say
that there shouldn't be any enjoying him today
and all the days of our lives.
And we enjoy him by growing in him.
And that's what this passage
that we're looking at together
is all about.
Enjoying him.
And as Paul is writing to the church
at Thessalonica here,
he's writing to them,
seeking this for them,
that they will be growing in the Lord,
that they will be going on
in the strength of the Lord.
And he's doing this in the way
that he's asking them
many different questions
to encourage them along the way.
And one question that you could maybe draw
from the reading that we've had today is,
are they the finished article?
And when we think of Paul writing to them,
we think of him speaking to ourselves
through his word today as well.
Are we the finished article?
If you look back just to the end of chapter 3 there
where we read the encouraging,
the report that they had
coming back from Thessalonica,
Paul was not there anymore.
He was writing to them to hear
how they were.
But Timothy had come back to him
with a report.
And the report gave him great comfort
and great joy because he was hearing
that they were going on
in their faith.
The question there is,
how is your faith?
And you could almost answer there for them,
their faith was strong.
They were going on in the Lord.
But Paul's great concern
and encouragement was
that they keep going,
that they press on,
that they don't lose heart along the way,
that they don't enter into trials
and temptations that will
make them fall away
from walking closely with the Lord.
And so he's writing
to encourage them.
So after all has been said
in this letter up until this point,
now he's focusing,
as you come into chapter 4,
how are we going to go forward?
How are we going to go on
from here?
And that's something
every Christian should always have in mind.
Every one of us should have in mind,
whether we're Christians here or not,
whether we're looking for the Lord.
The question is always
in the back of our mind,
where are we going from here?
Where are we going
from this service today?
What direction are we going in?
What are we leaning on
for help and understanding?
This week was a school report week,
a parents' evening
in the Nicholson,
which we were at.
And as with any parent evening,
it's always a time of looking at
where the child is now,
which is important.
But what always comes up
is the pathway for going forward.
What needs to be done
to achieve their aim,
their goal,
or their career.
There's always a sense
of a pathway going forward.
And for Paul,
this is almost like a report
that's coming back
from Thessalonica,
where God's children
are being reported
on their faith strong.
They're in a good place just now.
They're standing fast in the Lord,
as it says in verse 8
of chapter 3.
They're standing fast in the Lord.
That's great.
But now as you come into chapter 4,
it's,
but what's the pathway going forward?
Where do they go?
from here.
And he's already encouraged them
in their walk with the Lord.
In verse 12 of chapter 2,
we exhorted each one of you
and encouraged you
and charged you
to walk in a manner
worthy of God,
who calls you
into his own kingdom
and glory.
So they were charged,
they were called to this,
to walk in a manner
worthy of God.
Their pathway
was put before them.
But now he's reminding them
and challenging them
to keep going
in this way.
But there's a great reminder
here too
for them and for us
that even if we feel
that we're falling short
in so many ways.
And the reminder
is what we have
in verse 3.
For this is the will of God,
your sanctification.
that God is working
in them.
And God is working
in you and me.
That he doesn't leave us alone
in this pathway,
in this life of seeking
to please him.
It's not in our own strength
that we go on,
but through him
who works in us
for his glory.
And when we think of that
in light of what is
our chief end,
what is our main purpose,
what is our pathway
going forward,
we ask,
well,
is it to worship
and glorify God?
And is it to enjoy him now
and forever?
And so there's three things
I want us to take
from these verses
before us
this evening.
How we see God
working in us.
And the first thing is
in the opening verses
of chapter 4,
we see Paul encouraging
them to please God
more and more.
To please God
more and more.
Our lives are so often
dictated by goals
and targets.
When you think of
a parent's evening
and setting out
pathways and goals
in life,
they're important.
But it's also important
to remind
children and ourselves
the goal of
knowing God
is the greatest
of all.
Because we can get
so easily
distracted
by pathways
and lives
and career paths
and goals
in life.
It's in every aspect
of life
these days.
Targets
to be met.
Whether it's
in sports,
targets
to be met,
personal bests
to be gained.
Whether it's
in work,
targets
that we're set,
production,
or earning
certain amount
of money,
all of these things.
And then you have
life targets,
relationships,
and personal targets,
cars and houses
and promotions
and all of these things.
The list
can go on
where we see
a pathway in life
that is
all about us
and satisfying
ourselves
and achieving
our own goals.
And whether you
look at Paul's day
or our own day,
that's common.
It's common
in every generation
and every aspect
of life
where we can get
so entangled
in our own goals.
And our purpose
becomes
not to glorify God
but to make glory
for ourselves.
And not to enjoy
him forever
but to enjoy life
forever
as we see it.
And it's so easy
to go on the wrong path,
the wrong way.
And that's the warning
that's behind
what Paul is writing
to them here.
He knows this fact.
He knows
the distractions
that are so often
all around
in his day
and God's speaking
to us today
as well.
And so
as he's writing here
he's saying,
yes,
your faith
is strong at the moment.
You're standing
in the Lord
but where are you going?
Where are you going
from here?
And so he says
there in verse 1,
finally then brothers,
we ask and urge you
in the Lord Jesus
that as you received
from us
how you ought to live
and to please God
just as you are doing
that you do so
more
and more.
That this is
your ongoing
chief end,
chief purpose
to please God,
to enjoy him
more
and more.
A life
pleasing
to God.
And is that
the life
that you are living,
that I am living
today?
Is that my
chief end,
my chief purpose
today
to live a life
pleasing God
more
and more?
And the question
is,
well,
how?
How do we
please God?
How do we know
what is right
to do
and what is wrong
to do?
How do we decide
what is morally
right and what is
morally wrong?
You see the context
of Paul writing
here was a lot
of morality,
a lot of moral
issues that were
pulling them away
from God.
And it's the same
in our own world
too.
These issues
of life
are still always
there,
seem to pull us
away from God.
And how do we know
what is right
and what is wrong?
We can base it
on what we've
been brought
up with.
And that's fine
if we've been
privileged and blessed
with a Christian
upbringing,
our morals coming
from the Bible,
but what about
when that changes?
What if that's
never what we've
had?
What if we base
what is right
and wrong
on present culture
and ways of
thinking and laws?
If a law
changes to say
something that
was wrong
is now right,
or even the other
way around,
something that
was right
is now wrong.
How do we know?
What do we base
it on?
Francis Schaeffer
once said,
if there is
no absolute
by which to
judge society,
then society
is absolute.
If there is
no absolute
by which to
judge society,
then society
is absolute.
And is there
an absolute
for us?
Well,
if we believe
in God
and we believe
in his word,
there is,
because it is
found in the
word of God.
That is
our absolute
guide,
our absolute
instruction,
our absolute
way to our
chief end
to please God
is not
through society's
absolutes,
but through
the word of God.
And our prayer
would be that
society's
absolutes
would come
from the
word of God.
But when they
don't,
we still
remain in
God's word,
because our
desire should
be to
please God
more and
more.
And that's
a clear warning
in Scripture.
If we seek
to please
self,
we'll never
please God.
Romans 8,
verse 8,
those who are
in the flesh
cannot
please God,
it says.
And then
Romans 12
goes on
to outline
how we
can
please God.
Do not
be conformed
to this
world,
but be
transformed
by the
renewal of
your mind,
that by
testing you
may discern
what is
the will
of God,
what is
good and
acceptable
and perfect.
We find
it in the
word of
God.
He's
saying,
please God
more and
more.
The question
for them
was,
are they?
And the
question for
us is,
are we?
Is that
our chief
end,
to please
God
more and
more?
We're
always
challenged.
I mean,
you think
of Psalm
15,
who can
stand
before the
Lord?
And there's
so many
things there
that if you
go through
them,
you think,
I can't.
I can't
stand before
God.
He who
honors,
who fears
the Lord,
he who
does right
to his
neighbor,
he who
has no
spite in
his heart
or no
slander in
his tongue.
You go
through that
list and
you think,
how is it
possible for
anyone to
stand before
God?
And that's
the reality
for us
too.
How can
any of
us please
God more
and more?
We know
it's
impossible.
Is a
life pleasing
to God
about making
changes
ourselves?
Well,
that's the
second thing
we want
to see
here.
Because if
you read
verse 2
to 4
and go
through that
yourself
without the
first sentence
of verse 3,
if you leave
out the
first part
of verse 3,
for this is
the will
of God,
your
sanctification,
you leave
that out
and read
verse 2
to 4,
you think,
I can
try and
do that
myself.
And this
is the
way many
people try
to approach
God.
We hear
what God's
word says
and what
we're going
to do is
we're going
to make
all the
changes
in our
own
lifestyle.
We're going
to make
all the
changes
in our
own
hearts
by ourselves.
We're going
to manage
this.
We're going
to do
it.
We're going
to set
a goal.
We're going
to achieve
it.
We've got
the pathway
marked out
before us.
I'm going
to be
someone whose
chief end,
whose chief
purpose is
to glorify
God and
to enjoy
him forever.
And we
try and
do it
ourselves.
But does
it work?
It doesn't.
We end
up failing
because
without God
it's impossible
to please
him.
And that's
the beauty
of this
verse.
That's the
beauty of
what God
teaches us
in his
word.
It is
God who
works in
us.
And that's
why you
have the
beginning
of verse
3.
For this
is the
will of
God,
your
sanctification.
God
working
in us.
John
Newton
once famously
said,
I'm not
what I
ought to
be.
And I'm
guessing
we could
all say
these
things.
I'm not
what I
want to
be.
I'm not
what I
hope to
be in
another
world.
But still,
I am
not what I
once used
to be.
But by
the grace
of God,
I am
what I
am.
By the
grace of
God,
I am
what I
am.
You see,
John
Newton
didn't
try and
change
his own
life.
He knew
that only
the Lord
could,
and his
grace
could.
And that
is what
we need
to remember
ourselves
as well.
That it
is God
who can
change
us.
And that's
the wonder
of this
passage,
how God
knows us,
and how
God gives
us these
encouragements
along the
way.
The blessing
of these
words should
not go
past us,
because we
can all
find that
sense of
struggling
along by
ourselves,
looking at
ourselves and
thinking,
if only I
could please
God,
but I
can't.
And we're
trying to
go on
leaning on
our own
strength.
But Paul
is saying,
look,
even when
you're
standing
firm in
the Lord,
don't get
complacent.
Don't think
you've
arrived,
don't think
you've
made it.
Instead,
keep looking
to the
Lord,
to please
him more
and more,
knowing the
will of
God is
your
sanctification.
Now,
what is
sanctification?
That's
important for
us to
know what
Paul is
saying to
us here.
When we're
thinking that
instead of
our chief
end is to
please
ourselves,
we're
wanting our
chief end
to glorify
God and
to enjoy
him forever,
what makes
the difference?
It is God
working in
us.
And again,
we can come
back to the
shorter
catechism,
which again
gives us an
answer for
what is
sanctification.
sanctification
is the
work of
God's
free grace,
whereby we
are renewed
in the
whole man
after the
image of
God and
are enabled
more and
more to
die unto
sin and
to live
unto
righteousness.
It is the
work of
God's
free grace,
where we
are enabled
more and
more to
die unto
sin and
to live
unto
righteousness.
And we
think,
can I
ever make
it?
Well,
again,
we come
back to
the fact
that it
is God
working in
us.
A man
once bought
a new
house.
And in
the backyard
of his
house,
there was
a tree,
a tree
just standing
by itself,
and he
didn't know
what kind
of tree
it was.
Nothing
marked this
tree out
in any
significant
way,
because he
bought the
tree in
winter.
When spring
came,
leaves and
tiny little
buds started
appearing on
the tree.
And for a
few days,
he marveled
at this
tree.
What a
beautiful
tree.
It's got
these beautiful
flowers.
And he
enjoyed them
for a few
days, but
then a
wind came,
and within
a few
hours, all
the leaves
and all
the flowers
were gone.
they were
scattered all
over the
back garden.
And he
was so
disappointed.
What a
mess.
What a
worthless
tree this
is.
This tree
isn't of
any use
after all,
he thought.
But then
the summer
came, and
he noticed
during the
summer that
there were
these small
buds now on
the tree,
but the
size of a
large nut.
And he
thought, oh,
it must be a
fruit tree.
And so
he took
down one
of the
buds, and
he bit
into it, and
he spat it
out immediately.
Tasted
horrible, so
sour.
And he
thought, again,
what a
worthless
tree.
It can't
even bear
good fruit.
I'm going
to cut
this tree
down in
winter.
But then
come the
autumn, and
what did he
notice on
the tree?
But a
large
produce of
red apples.
It had
taken time,
but from
the wee
blossoming
buds that
had been
seemingly
blown away
to the
sour-tasting
fruit that
he thought
was being
produced in
the summer,
he realized
that the
tree itself
had been
taken from
the ground
all this
time to
produce a
ripe crop
of apples.
And that's
a reminder
to us of
what the
work of
sanctification
is like.
Can we
bear fruit
by ourselves?
No.
Will we
make mess
of our
life over
and over
again sometimes?
Yes.
Will our
fruit sometimes
be sour and
bitter?
Yes.
But it is
God who is
working in
us, that
we might
bear fruit
at some
point that
is good.
And it
may be that
it's always a
mix of all
the different
ones, but
our desire,
our chief
end should
be to
glorify God
and to
enjoy him
forever.
We can so
easily lose
heart because
of our
mistakes, and
especially if
we're thinking
we can do
it by
ourselves.
We can't,
but we
remember God
is working
in you.
God is
making you
into what
he wants
you to
be, useful
and giving
all glory
to him.
Mistakes
along the
way, yes.
Bitterness
and sourness
along the
way, yes.
But that
we might
have a
produce, a
harvest at
the end.
And that's
the last
point I
just wanted
to take
from this
passage.
What is the
outcome of
our
sanctification?
What is he
looking at
that we
might be
holy?
In verse
seven it
says,
for God
has not
called us
for impurity
but in
holiness.
What is
a holy
person?
We have
our own
idea perhaps
what a
holy person
is.
A holy
person is
someone who
goes to
church.
A holy
person is
someone who
reads their
Bible.
But is that
what the
Bible means
by what a
holy person
is?
At the
root of
what being
holy means
and the
idea of
being holy
is being
set apart.
And so
when you
come to
worship God
we worship
a holy
God.
He is the
one who
is to be
set apart
and worthy
of all
our worship.
In Exodus
20
the ten
commandments
the first
commandment
is you
shall have
no other
gods
before me.
There shall
be nothing
else in
your pathway
nothing else
as your
treasure
nothing else
as your
chief end
but God.
You shall
have no
other gods
before me
because he
is a
holy God.
And before
that in
Exodus 15
it had
said who
is like
you O
Lord among
the gods
who is
like you
majestic
in holiness
awesome
in glorious
deeds
doing wonders.
There is
no other
God like
our Lord.
And therefore
he is a
holy God
and that
is how
we are
to worship
him.
As a
holy God
set apart.
But what
does holiness
mean for
ourselves?
You see it
in different
parts of
scripture
where we
are told
to be
holy
because
God
is
holy.
C.S.
Lewis
once said
how little
people know
who think
that holiness
is dull.
When one
meets the
real thing
it is
irresistible.
Holiness
is a
beautiful
thing.
Holiness
is a
precious
thing.
A thing
that we
should be
aspiring
for.
And that's
what Paul
is speaking
of here.
As you
seek to
please
God
more and
more.
As you
seek to
go on
in this
way being
sanctified
by God.
God
working
in us.
It is
to be a
beautiful
thing.
Set
apart
for the
worship
of God.
Holiness
is so
important
for us.
And why
is it
so important?
Because
we're given
a warning
there in
verse 8
of this
chapter.
Whoever
disregards
this
disregards
not man
but God.
When we
disregard
these things
we disregard
God
himself.
And when
we do
that
we cannot
be holy.
Hebrews
12
14
says to
us
as well
strive
for peace
with everyone
for the
holiness
without
which no
one will
see the
Lord.
Well
do we
want to
see God?
Do we
want to
enjoy him
forever?
Do we
want him
to be our
chief purpose
glorifying him
and enjoying
him
always?
I pray
we all
do.
That that
would be
our longing
that that
would be
our desire
and remembering
we don't
do it
just by
ourselves.
And if
you feel
that you
are struggling
if you
are feeling
that you
are failing
to please
God
in this
way
if you
are failing
to achieve
what
Psalm 15
describes
for us
no you're
not
alone.
because we
all fall
short.
Every one
of us
falls short
of the
glory of
God.
That is
what God's
word says
to us.
But what
we want
to know
is God
working
in us.
You
think of
someone
holy in
your own
mind
and you
say to
yourself
I can
never
be like
that.
God's
eternal
inici cocktail
iggly
Jesus
looks
on the
inside.
God
looks
on the
heart.
Not
on the
outside.
And that's
what we
think of
here as
Paul is
writing to
the
Thessalonians.
He's
encouraged
that they
are standing
fast in
the
Lord
yes, but he wants them to have the right pathway going forward as well, the right direction
in their lives, to keep living a life pleasing to God as much as they possibly can,
but knowing to God working in them that they might be holy and set apart for God.
Would that be our desire? Would that be our longing? Is that your chief end, your chief purpose?
To please God, to know him working in you, that you might be holy and set apart by him and for him.
God working in us. What a wonderful privilege that God would take you and I, imperfect as we are,
with all our faults, all the mess that we make, all the sourness and bitterness that we have,
and seek to make us fruitful for him, a thing of beauty to him, set apart for him. May he work in us
for his glory. Let us pray.
Our Father in heaven, we thank you for your work in us, an ongoing work, and a work we know even in
our own hearts is so needed because we cannot do it by ourselves. And we just pray, Lord, that you will
have mercy on us for all our bitterness, our sourness, all the mess that we make in our life,
and that you would make us fruitful, set apart for your glory. We ask all these things in Jesus' name. Amen.
Amen.
We're going to close by singing to God's praise in Psalm 40, the Sing Psalms version this time,
Psalm 40, and the last two verses there on page 52. The tune is Finart, Psalm 40 at verse 16,
page 52. But let all those who seek your face be joyful in you all their days. Let those who love
salvation say, exalted be the Lord always. We'll sing these last two stanzas to God's praise.
Let those who love salvation say, exalted be the Lord always. And let us pray. And let us know
in this verse 1. But let all those who seek your face be joyful in you all their days. Let those who love
of salvation
say
exalted
be
the Lord
always
yet
I am
poor
and in
great need
Lord think
on me
I am
humbly pray
you are
my saviour
and
my help
come
oh my
God
do not
delay
after the
benediction I'll go to the main door
we'll close with the benediction
now may grace mercy and peace
from God Father Son
and Holy Spirit
rest upon and abide with you all
now and forevermore
Amen
going flow
ma doc
come on
go 받
Thank you.