Abounding More and More: Receiving and Responding to the Word of God

The transcription discusses the importance of receiving and obeying the Word of God, emphasizing the need for believers to grow spiritually and be rooted in their faith. It mentions the challenges faced by the Thessalonians in receiving the Word amidst affliction and how the Gospel has the power to change lives. The Apostle Paul's teachings and the parable of the sower are used to illustrate these points. The overall message is about the significance of truly believing and allowing the Word of God to work in one's life to experience spiritual growth and joy. 1 Thessalonijos 4, ir aš pradėjau pradėti į versą nr. 1. Ateikite, draugai, ir žiūrėjome jūsų įvartį į Lietuvą Jūsų, kad jūs įvyktumėte daugiau ir daugiau, kaip jūs atvyktumėte iš mūsų, kodėl jūs turėtumėte įvykti ir prašyti Jūsų. Nes jūs žinojate, kaiką komandą jūsų prieš Lietuvą Jūsų prieš Jūsų prieš Jūsų prieš Jūsų. Let's pray. Eternal God, our righteous Father in Heaven, we thank You so much for this time and privilege we have together. Father, we pray that You would help us in our endeavors to be more like You, that we may strengthen one another and be the church that You've called for us to be. This we pray in Your Son Jesus' name. Amen. There are two parts, I believe, that the Apostle Paul really addresses with the church in Thessalonica. I think the first part he addresses is that God desires more of His people. The truth of the matter is most of us have sat in these same seats for maybe 5, 10, 15, even 20 years. And maybe we're coasting alone. Maybe we are not going to go back into the world. Maybe we're not going to fool around with sin. But we're just going to be planted where we are and perhaps not grow. I believe that Paul kind of rebukes that attitude in several of his letters. But God has called for us to be a people that are rooted and grounded. God wants us to have roots to us. And so the first thing that he is concerned about begins at verse number 2. For you know what commandments we gave you through the Lord Jesus. Our reception of the Word is one of the first things we ought to be concerned about. How did we receive the Word of God? Notice once we receive the Word of God, I do believe the second part of that would be what did we render to the Lord and to the Lord's people. Let's go back to verse 1. He said there that you should abound more and more just as you receive from us how you ought to walk and please God. You see, God never wanted us to be a stationary people. God never wanted us to be a stagnant people. He wanted us to take the Word of God in and then have a reception to the Word of God and a rendering to the Word of God. I want to say verse 1 that when we have the Word of God in us, we abound more and more. And so that's the lesson this afternoon, abounding more and more in the Lord. I want us to look, if you will, first at this part of reception of the Word of God and then secondly our renderings to the Lord and his people. Let's go to chapter 1, 1 Thessalonians chapter 1 in verse number 6. Remember, this is the Apostle Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy to the Church of God, which is at Thessalonians. And he says beginning there at verse number 6, And you all became followers of us and of the Lord and received the Word in much affliction with joy of the Holy Spirit. I do believe that verse number 6 here shows how the Thessalonians received the Word. They received it in much affliction, and the outcome of that is that they have the joy of the Holy Spirit. I want to say that people who've lived in the world, when they hear the Word of God, when they obey the Word of God, there is a sense of joy. I love that expression in Acts chapter 8 when Philip goes up to the eunuch and asks him, does he understand what he's reading? How can I understand except a man guide me? He explained and preached to him Jesus. The eunuch and Philip go down into the water, and the Bible says the chariot is lifted up away. And what happens? The eunuch goes on his way rejoicing. There is a rejoicing. There is a joy in obedience. But notice this joy that comes in obedience sometimes comes at the cost of sorrow. So let's go to Acts chapter 17. I want to show you the manner of entry that the Thessalonians had with the gospel. It's chapter number 17. And I begin reading there at verse number 1. Now when they had passed through Apollonia and Amphipolis, they came to Thessalonia where there was a synagogue of the Jews. Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scripture. I want to stop just there to show you something. There in verse number 2, Paul reasoned with them from the Scripture. That means Paul made logical, reasonable arguments from the Scripture. Well, how did he do that? Verse 3 gives us an indication. He explained or explaining and demonstrating that Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, saying, This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ. That is simply, verse 2 and verse 3, that's a simple definition of preaching, explaining and demonstrating your argument logically from the Scripture. Verse number 4. And some of them were persuaded, and a great multitude of devout Greeks and not a few leading ladies joined Paul in silence. You see the reception here to the Word of God. Paul reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and demonstrating that Christ had to suffer, and then notice the response, verse 4, that they joined Paul in silence. Well, let's not skip ahead of ourselves because oftentimes in Scripture, there are two different responses to the preaching and teaching of the Gospel. Verse 5. But when the Jews who were not persuaded, being envious, took some of the evil men from the marketplace and, gathering them all, sent all the city into uproar and attacked the house of Jason and sought to bring them out to the people. When they did not find them, they drove Jason and some brethren to the ruler of the city, crying out, These who have turned the world upside down have come here too. I want to say something about this. Verse number 6 is perhaps one of the greatest compliments in all the New Testament. Those who have turned the world upside down have come here too. I want to say the Gospel changes people. Not only does the Gospel change people, but the Gospel has power to change people around people who believe in the Gospel. There is influence in the Gospel. Verse number 7. Jason had harbored at them, and these are all acting contrary to the decree of Caesar, saying, There is another king, Jesus. You see what the Thessalonian brethren had to go through? They heard the Word of God, and now they have to go into hiding because of the Word of God. And despite Jewish harassment, people believed in the Lord. Well, let's go back to 1 Thessalonians. I want to show you something there in chapter 2. So they received the Word of God with much affliction and joy of the Holy Spirit. But not only have they received the Word with much affliction and joy of the Holy Spirit, Verse 13. I want to say this, and I want to give you some warning. When preaching is going forth, you ought to be thinking. When preaching is going forth, you ought to perhaps be writing notes. When preaching goes forth, you ought to be listening, not to try to trip up the preacher. But you want to make sure what's being said is the truth. Right? You want to make sure that this is the Word of God. One of the things I don't like, I mean, if you want to get under my skin, you'll do this. I hear people say, well, Jonathan, I thank you for your words. Well, I thank you for thanking me for my words. But, you know, sometimes people will come and say things like, well, that was just your opinion. That's just what you believe. Saints, I'm very careful as to not preach my opinion from the pulpit. I won't do that. When I'm preaching and teaching, I need to be preaching and teaching thus saith the Lord. And you should see it that way. Now, it would be one thing if you were to say, well, I don't agree with that, and I'll go study it. That's one thing. But to say that this is what you're preaching, and I don't agree with that, because it's your words, is another thing. There's an individual in which the Word of God works really well in this individual. Verse 13 is, it effectively works in you who believe. You know the reason why some people won't grow spiritually? They don't believe the Word. They won't allow the Word to work in them. So I want to go to Matthew 13. In Matthew 13, Jesus gives this parable of the sower. And I want to deal with this in this context. In the parable of the sower, we're talking about the seed, which is the Word of God, and the sower, which is the Lord Jesus, who goes out and sows the Word of God in the hearts and minds of people. Now think about this. We're not talking anymore about sows. The parable that Jesus gave is about sows, about earth, about ground. But the explanation is about the heart. I want to begin reading at verse number 18 as he explains this parable. He says, therefore hear the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches it away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received the word by the wayside. I want to say in receiving the truth, there are some people who believe that the gospel is too hard to understand, that the Word of God is so hard to understand that they'll never get it. Now I understand that oftentimes in religious groups the Bible isn't taught. And oftentimes people are starting from ground zero square one. I want to say this. If an individual believes that the scriptures are too hard to understand, they're not going to seek the scriptures. And they're not going to seek to know the truth. And the scriptures then will become a stumbling block to them. Now we have a devil who plays into that. And what do I mean by that? We have religious confusion all over the world. I was driving just here today in this little area, and I found a church that claims to be apostolic following the apostle's doctrine. I found an assembly of God church. I found a holiness deliverance church. I found a Baptist church. I found a Christian center. I found all these things within a mile radius of driving here from Walmart, across the train tracks, up past this road, over to these apartments. That's only about a mile. And all these different churches. And so someone may say, well, brother, I'm confused. It's okay to be confused because we can help you with your confusion. But a stumbling block is this, saying the word is too hard to understand. You'll never get it. Well, let's look at another condition, verse 20 and verse 21. When he receives the seed on stony ground, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy. Yet he has no root in himself but endures only for a while. For when tribulation and persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. We all know those kind of people who come to service, they come to Bible class, and they're excited. We would call them people that's on fire. They have some passion for the Lord. They're going out and talking to their friends about it. They're talking to their family members about it. But then life happens. And what happens? Well, you think you're the only one saved. You think you're going to that church that's going to make you a different person. People are persecuting you. In hard times, when persecution comes, you've got all this word in you, but it has no root. Imagine a plant that has no roots. You can water it all day, and it will never receive nutrients. You know, some people's hearts are that way. They've got to start over all the time, over and over and over again. They have joy, but they don't have endurance for the word of God. Let that not be said of us. Verse 22, another part. Now he who receives the seed among the thorns and he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. They're thorns. Thorns oftentimes messes up everything around it. Browers and thistles, and you have to get around that stuff. But what about a heart with thorns? Maybe work says you ought to be here 12 hours a day, and you miss the assembly. Maybe you want your child to go on that basketball team that they've been trying out for, and so you miss important things. Maybe work. They say they'll give you a raise, and you'll make $100,000 this year, but you've got to make some sacrifices somewhere. You see how easy the cares of this world is to choke out of us? Remember COVID? People were afraid to leave home, and now we've survived COVID, and now people are worried about the economy. I pumped gas today, and it was $4.59. It's really expensive. The cares of this world can choke it out of us. And when that happens, we become unfruitful. We're worried about the wrong things. So I'm going to be honest with you, thank you, God. The truth of the matter is I can't walk to work. I can't walk to Pasadena, so I've got to put gas in my car. That means I probably don't need to complain about it. I have to get around. And you see the perspective change there? It's high, but God has blessed us to get it. Now, maybe I don't get a full tank every time I go, right? Maybe I'll get a half a tank or just enough to get me to point A to point B so I get more money. But you see the point that if we're not careful, the cares of the world can choke the word out of us. The type of heart, the type of soul that we ought to be, verse 23, he who receives the seed on good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces, some a hundredfold, some 60, some 30. They're the type of individual who hears the word of God. It takes root in them. They understand it and they grow. You know, the Apostle Paul wrote about that to young brother Tim in 1 Timothy chapter 4. He mentioned that your progress may be evident to all. If you start studying the word and utilizing spiritual principles, you know what happens? People take notice and God takes notice. I do believe that we can be people that the word of God can work effectively in. One closing, we'll have one more point, is our rendering to the people. I want to go to 1 Thessalonians chapter 2 and I want to show you this, rendering to the people and rendering to the Lord. 1 Thessalonians chapter 2, verses 9 through verses number 12. For you remember, brethren, our labor and toil, for laboring night and day that we not be a burden to any of you. We preach to you the gospel of God. And you are witnesses in how God, how devotely and justly and brainlessly we behave ourselves among you who believe. And you know how we exhorted and covered and charged every one of you as a father does his own children that you may walk worthy of God who calls you into his own kingdom and glory. The preaching of the gospel demands a certain type of lifestyle change. But you know what the apostles do? They put the burden on themselves and then put it back on you. Notice what it says, verse 10, you are witnesses, you've seen us, how devotedly and justly and blamelessly we behave ourselves among you who believe. And you know what we did for you, verse number 11? We exhorted you, we instructed you in the way of the Lord. When you made a mistake, we comforted you. When you were weak, we charged you. You know, parents have a way of doing that. At least they should have a way of doing that. You can be soft on a child when they need it. You can be hard on a child when they need it. And you can challenge a child when they need it, right? Paul says we were like fathers to you and we did all that for you. Why? Why did you do all that? Verse 12, that you may walk worthy of God who calls you into his own kingdom. Saints, God, the reason I preach the way that I preach is that we may walk worthy. I don't have a ton of time for jokes. I don't have a ton of time for stories. I don't have a ton of time just to talk, just to be talking. We have a work to do for God. And we need to know how to please him. Notice what happens to benefit of this transformation is that we become now examples after rendering to other Christians. First Thessalonians chapter 1, verse number 8, notice what he says. He says, from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place. I want to say this. There's some brethren I've never met, but I know their names. I know their works. I know what they're doing for the Lord. I'm not saying that because we need a pat on the back. I'm not saying that because you think you're going to get a gold star. But I'm saying that why? Because our influence go places where we can't go. You know, in 100 years, people may not know any one of us. In 100 years, people may not even know there's a church meeting here. But hopefully I have a wife and kids and grandkids. Maybe God will bless me even with great-grandkids. I may not even see them all. I believe the influence of this lesson is going to go farther than I can go. To the grandkids I may not see, to the great-grandkids I may not see, to maybe even your family who I would never perhaps meet or see, maybe you share these lessons. Maybe you share some of the faults with your friends and family. What can we render to the Lord? What we can render to the Lord is giving God a sacrifice and keeping our vow. What Paul does in the middle of the book is that he kind of stops and he prays for the saints. Now I want to leave you with this this afternoon. In 1 Thessalonians 3, I want us to see this. 1 Thessalonians 3, verse 11 beginning. Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus Christ direct our way to you, and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you, so that he may establish your hearts, blameless in holiness before God and the Father, the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all the saints. You see Paul's prayer. Verse 11, he wants God to direct you. He wants you to abound and increase in love towards the brethren and all, just as our love for you all have increased. He wants God to establish your hearts, that you be blameless in holiness before God at his coming. So you see how, of course, Thessalonians really only has two major points, our reception of the word of God and our renderings to God and to the brethren. How did you receive it? Hope you received the word of God in joy and in truth of the word. And what do you now render to God? My actions. Living blamelessly, devoutly, and justly. Being examples to the believers in all things. This afternoon, if you need to obey the Lord's gospel, do so by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ. Believe that he's the son of God, by dying, by being buried, by resurrecting on the third day, according to the scriptures. Once you believe the Christ and the gospel, make up in your mind you want to change. That's repentance. You want to change your actions and follow this Jesus who died for you. Change your mind, your course, your actions. Then you confess with your mouth Jesus Christ to be the son of the living God. And based upon that confession, we can baptize you this afternoon in Jesus' name for the remission of your sins. Baptism's unique. It adds one to the body of the church. It's an answer of a clean conscience towards God. It washes away our sins. Peter says it does now save us. But you know what else I love about baptism? Acts chapter 8 again. After you obey God's gospel and baptism, you can go on your way rejoicing.