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Resounding Faith | Inspiring Work

October 27, 2024
1 Thessalonians 4:9-12

⁹Now 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, ¹⁰for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more, ¹¹and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, ¹²so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.

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Purpose

To discover and experience Jesus Christ in our midst

To cultivate mutually encouraging relationships

To participate in God’s mission to the world 

Opening Prayer

Father in heaven, keep your household the church in continual godliness, that through your protection it may be free from all adversities, and may devoutly serve you in good works to the glory of your name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Responsive Prayer — Psalm 127

Unless the Lord builds the house,

Those who build it labor in vain.

Unless the Lord watches over the city,

The watchman stays awake in vain.

It is in vain that you rise up early

And go late to rest,

Eating the bread of anxious toil;

For he gives to his beloved sleep.

Summary and Connection

This study explores the ethic of work. In 1 Thessalonians chapter 4, Paul responds to the particular questions the Thessalonians asked, and he specifically teaches the ethics of sex, work, and death. Thessalonica is a pagan, Greco-Roman city, and the newly founded church is wondering what an authentic Christian life looks like. In today’s passage, the apostle teaches on the topic of work. Earlier in the chapter, Paul explained sexual ethics through the lens of sanctification, and in this section, the work ethic is addressed alongside the instruction to love one another. Because of their eschatology, some believers in Thessalonica became idle and meddled with other people’s affairs. In response, Paul reminds his readers about God’s command for brotherly love. Similar to his instruction on sex, Paul urges the church in Thessalonica to exercise self-control, steering them away from being selfish and burdensome. We are in the midst of a sermon series called Resounding Faith, and we want to explore how we can love our neighbors through our work.

Discussion Questions

1. Looking at the Bible

Observation: Read the passage privately. What does the text say? What is the theme of this passage? Do you notice any keywords?

• Paul urges the Thessalonian believers to keep loving one another “more and more.” Following the exhortation to love, he gives three more specific commands in verse 11. What are they, and how are they related to loving one another?
• What is the end goal of this instruction about work ethics?

2. Looking at Jesus

At Central we believe that all of Scripture points to Jesus. In other words, Jesus is the theological center of the Bible. Every passage not only points to Jesus, but the grand narrative of the Bible also finds its fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus.

• We know that Jesus was a carpenter before beginning his ministry at around the age of thirty. What was Jesus’ work ethic probably like as a carpenter and as a teacher?
• How can we live out the gospel in and through our work?
  

3. Looking at Our Hearts

• Paul exhorts his readers to “aspire to live quietly” in verse 11. What is our general aspiration or tendency when it comes to speaking?
• How can we love one another with our quietness? 

4. Looking at Our World

• How does the world define work? Is it a necessary evil or a means for self-fulfillment and self-realization? 

Sending

• View Study Guide Notes

  Question 1: Paul continues to refer to his previous teachings and instructions during his time in Thessalonica (verses 9 and 11). In addition, just as Paul urged the Thessalonians to walk in a manner pleasing to God “more and more” in verse 1, he repeats the phrase in his exhortation to love one another “more and more” in verse 10. On this pericope, John Stott summarizes, “Our justification is indeed hapax (once and for all); but our sanctification is always mallon (more and more).”

  In the Thessalonian church there was this group of idle believers, identified as the akatoi in 5:14. The word can also be translated as “unruly” or “disorderly,” often referring to undisciplined soldiers who exhibited insubordinate behavior. They were not only lazy and voluntarily unemployed, but they also became busybodies, preoccupied with other people’s affairs. Their unwillingness to work may have stemmed from their eschatology, in their overzealousness of the Parousia (the Second Coming of Christ). Paul addresses them again in his second letter, and it may provide helpful to read the passage with the group:

  ⁶Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us. ⁷For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you, ⁸nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you. ⁹It was not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate. ¹⁰For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. ¹¹For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. ¹²Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living. (2 Thessalonians 3:6-12)

  Paul frequently mentions the example of his behavior during his time at Thessalonica — how he himself wasn’t a burden to anyone but labored “day and night” (2:9). Paul exhorts the Thessalonians to follow his example of self-sufficiency and not become dependent on others. He goes on to teach that believers “must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need” (Ephesians 4:28). This is the model of how Paul imagines Christians loving one another through their work.

  Question 2: From the gospels we have glimpses of Jesus’ diligent, hard-working character. He often woke up early to pray before the day of ministry (Mark 1:35; Luke 4:42). Jesus was receptive to “spontaneous” ministry opportunities (Mark 5:25-34). Occasionally he would even skip meals working overtime (John 4:31). An ongoing accusation from his opponents was the observance of Sabbath, to which Jesus replied, “My Father is working until now, and I am working” (John 5:16-17).

  Jesus’ work had two underlying purposes: to glorify God, and to lovingly serve others (meeting their physical needs through healing and their spiritual needs through teaching). In today’s passage, the apostle Paul is inviting us to work for the same evangelistic reason: “to walk properly before outsiders” (verse 12). In all of our work (the work itself, our attitude toward working, and our behavior in the workplace) we have a missional call to be exemplary and above reproach as the world sees us. With our words we are ready to share the hope of the gospel (1 Peter 3:15), and through our loving actions the world will know that we are disciples of Jesus (John 13:35). Jesus teaches in Matthew 5:16, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

  Question 3: In the competitive, fast-paced culture of New York City, self-promotion is often seen as a necessary skill in order to have one’s strengths and achievements noticed, resulting in favor for the individual. Those who are proactive about seizing opportunities get rewarded, and those who are more quiet or shy get left behind. Moreover, there is the natural tendency to speak what’s on one’s mind, and active listeners have become rare. Paul, however, proposes in today’s passage to aspire to live quietly. The term “quietly” comes from the Greek root hesuchazo which means “to be still or silent.” It was often used by Luke to describe people falling silent and saying nothing (Luke 14:4, 23:56; Acts 11:18, 21:14). The “quiet life” is repeated by Paul in 1 Timothy 2:2 where he urges all people to “lead a peaceful and quiet life.”

  James, the brother of Jesus, describes taming the tongue as an incredible feat, equivalent to perfection (James 3:2). Perhaps this is why he wrote that everyone should be “quick to hear and slow to speak” (1:19). While there are certainly necessary moments for us to “speak the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15), there are also times when simply listening to our brother and sister is the much-needed loving act. Listening in love is just as important and difficult as speaking in love, and whenever we open our mouths, it should be full of grace and wisdom (Colossians 4:6; Proverbs 17:27-28).

  Question 4: The Greeks regarded manual labor as degrading and a job for slaves; however, in his exhortation to the Thessalonians to work with their own hands, Paul the tent-maker is validating work and respecting the laborers. In “Every Good Endeavor,” Tim Keller explains how work is given by God in the garden of Eden, and thus it is a good and sacred thing — a part of God’s original design. God himself has been working since creation until now and has given his people an invitation to work alongside him. All work, therefore, has honor and is a calling to serve God. “But in Genesis we see God as a gardener, and in the New Testament we see him as a carpenter — no task is too small a vessel to hold the immense dignity of work given by God.” Essentially, Keller is saying that any work is an opportunity to participate in the holy endeavor to love God and love others. Every act we do — seemingly trivial chores, mundane routines, or unnoticed tasks — can then become an act of worship. “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ” (Colossians 3:23-24).