Walking and Pleasing God

Posted on by

Click here to view the entire service

1 Thessalonians 4:1-2, Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you excel still more. [2] For you know what commandments we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.

We are committed to the expository preaching of God’s Word. Usually that means preaching verse by verse, sometimes one or two, sometimes larger sections. Since we believe the Bible is God-breathed, inerrant, authoritative and sufficient, we don’t want to miss anything. So we have preached ten sermons on 1 Thessalonians 1-3. Now in chapter 4 we come to a transition to the last half of this wonderful epistle as you see in the phrase “Finally then….”  So we submit our hearts to God’s revelation, trusting the Holy Spirit of God to press the upcoming practical truths into our hearts, minds, and lives.  

In 1 Thessalonians 4:1 Paul speaks as a father to his children, or as friend to friend, “we request and exhort.” He is full of encouragement. He says, “You’re doing great in your walk with Christ.  You’re standing firm in the Lord.” Great! But then Paul adds, “You can do better.” This is the phrase I hope God will burn into our hearts this morning: “Excel still more!” Paul sounds like a wise parent or effective coach. Give credit. Make sure they know how pleased you are. And yet, keep calling them to greater, higher, deeper pursuits in their walk with Christ. You see the same thing in 4:10 – “excel still more.” There’s more to learn, more to love, more growing to do, more obedience, more knowledge of God and His Word. “Excel still more.”

You can’t live on yesterday’s manna! Some Christians make great strides in their early years as believers, but then they slack off and start looking back and take confidence in what they used to do, how they used to serve, how many books they used to read. They are like children sitting in those old station wagons with rear seats that faced backward. They go forward looking backward. You can’t live on yesterday’s manna. It rots. Go out today and gather fresh manna.  “Excel still more!” We know these Thessalonians responded positively to Paul because he commends them in his second letter.

2 Thessalonians 1:3, We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brethren, as is only fitting, because your faith is greatly enlarged, and the love of each one of you toward one another grows ever greater;

This is progressive sanctification. A while back I heard a message by S. Lewis Johnson, who was a professor at Dallas Seminary for years and a strong proponent of the sovereignty of God and the doctrines of grace. In a message with a controversial topic he confessed he wasn’t infallible in his interpretation. Then in his southern, gentlemanly brogue, he added, “I still study. I’m an old man still studying the Scriptures trying to come more accurately to an understanding of the Word God has given us.” I love that. Excel still more. Pastor Bill Goode at Faith Baptist in Lafayette used to say he wanted to go to heaven while searching the Scriptures for God’s answers to life’s problems.  

Don’t you love that? Excelling still more. By the way, that was my title for this message until I went to MacArthur’s message on this passage and found he used that very title. I didn’t want to be accused of plagiarism, so I emailed Marianne to change the title to “Walking and Pleasing God.” 

Are you excelling still more in your Christian walk? Are you learning, growing, and letting God stretch you? God is calling each of us regardless of our age to excel still more. He doesn’t want us to walk backward. He has growth and serving opportunities up ahead that you don’t know anything about. And we all want to hear, “Well done you good and faithful servant!”  

OUR UNION WITH CHRIST

“Finally then…” means more like “furthermore” or “to go on.” Some preachers say, “Finally…” and then go on for another half hour. Here “finally” is more like “furthermore.” It’s a transition, not a conclusion. Paul is only halfway through his letter. He’s excited how they received the Word as the Word of God which effectually works in those who believe and how God was working in their lives (2:13). Now he says, “We request and exhort you.” First he requests like a friend, and then he kicks it up a notch to “we exhort you.” Both of these verbs are present tense. We are asking and urging you to go forward. Don’t go into maintenance mode. Don’t go status quo on us here.  Don’t become like flat soda that’s lost its fizz. Don’t be lukewarm like those Laodiceans. Status quo means stagnation, deterioration, decay. Rather, excel still more!

Note that Paul bases his appeal on the fact that they are “in the Lord Jesus.” This isn’t legalism.  Paul’s exhortation to excel isn’t just because it’s the right thing to do – it’s because of their relationship to Jesus Christ. Legalism is rules without relationship. Paul appeals to their hearts because of God’s great grace that is theirs in Jesus Christ. Christ is their motivation. All our growing and learning and living is because we are in union with Jesus Christ. Christianity isn’t a system of morality or ethics to make us better people. It is so much more. We’ve been joined to Jesus Christ, in union with Him. He is our head. All biblical teaching and preaching and obeying is because He loves us. He’s that power of a new affection that drove out our old affection or love for the world. He motivates our obedience because He loves us and gave Himself for us. We love because He first loved us! (1 John 4:19).

But Paul reminds us that God is our authority. Paul says we taught you a whole new way of living: “How you ought to walk and please God.” That’s good. Not how you might walk and please God but how you ought – a little three letter Greek word that carries a lot of punch – “dei.” How it is necessary or your duty to walk and please God? We are not under the law but we are under the constraints and restraints of the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ. Christ said, “If you love Me, you will keep my commandments.” Are we obligated to obey Christ? Yes. Why? Because we belong to Him. Are you obligated to obey your parents as a child? Yes! Because you are in the family. The obligation isn’t burdensome or oppressive. It’s a willing, loving, joyful obligation. Are you obligated to love your wife? Yes. You said you would when you married her. So do you bring her flowers or give her a kiss or hug and bring her a subway (we call them hoagies) and say, “I did this because I’m obligated to love you. That’s what husbands are supposed to do!” I hope not! That would ruin the whole gesture. You are obligated, but your loving relationship to your wife makes it a loving obligation.  

WALKING AND PLEASING GOD

What is it that we are called by the grace and mercy of our Lord to do? Walk and please God. I don’t know a better summary of our Christian life than this – “walk and please God.” Paul doesn’t say, “Live and please God.” Walk gets more traction in our understanding. We walk through life one step at a time. According to one website, the average person takes about 215 million steps in a lifetime. That equals about five times around the earth at the equator. That’s a lot of walking. Let’s visit a gentleman who walked about 900 million steps in his lifetime, and with each step he walked with God.

Genesis 5:21-24, Enoch lived sixty-five years, and became the father of Methuselah. [22] Then Enoch walked with God three hundred years after he became the father of Methuselah, and he had other sons and daughters. [23] So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. [24] Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.

What a beautiful picture. He walked with God down the street, into the restaurant, to the family reunions (which were huge), in his backyard, in his family room, with his wife and family. Spurgeon said, “The patriarch kept on with his walk with God until he walked beyond time and space and into paradise, where he is still marching on.” Here’s the divine commentary on Enoch’s walk.

Hebrews 11:5, By faith Enoch was taken up so that he would not see death; AND HE WAS NOT FOUND BECAUSE GOD TOOK HIM UP; for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God. 

LET’S TAKE A WALK

Paul calls us to “walk and please God.” That’s exactly what Enoch did. Let’s talk about your walk through your day. I’m going to summarize these verses.

  • Ephesians 4:17 says we are to no longer walk as the Gentiles, in the futility of their minds. 
  • Romans 6:4 says in Christ we walk in newness of life. 
  • Galatians 5:16 calls us to walk in the Spirit and not carry out the desires of the flesh.
  • Ephesians 2:10 says God prepared us in Christ Jesus to walk in good works.
  • Ephesians 4:1 says we’re to walk worthy of our calling, with all humility.
  • Ephesians 5:2 says we’re to walk in love just as Christ loved us and gave Himself for us.
  • Ephesians 5:8 says we used to walk in darkness but now we’re to walk as children of light.
  • Ephesians 5:15 warns us to be careful how we walk, not as unwise men but as wise.
  • Colossians 2:6 says as you’ve received Christ Jesus, so walk in Him.

How’s your walk with Christ? Paul says you’re doing well but to excel still more. You need to ramp things up from this point. Don’t settle back and get too comfortable or your fire will die down and your life won’t bring God the glory He desires and deserves. Don’t stagnate.

PLEASING GOD

So what happens as you walk with God? Enoch walked with God and had this testimony: “He was pleasing to God.” Walking day by day and trusting God each step of the way pleases God. Walking is your daily practice; your purpose is to please God. You please your wife by how you walk or act with her. You help out, listen to her, take interest in the children, open her door, tell her you love her, call her from work (what would it hurt?), take her out to eat, tell her how thankful you are that she’s your wife and you wouldn’t want anyone else. She is pleased! Or she may say, “Okay, what do you want?”  

So it is with God. You walk delighting in God, finding your greatest joy in God, obeying God out of your love for Him because He first loved you, praising and adoring Him, laying out your life for Him. He is pleased. You are walking and pleasing God. The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. It’s walking step by step in a very practical way every day through this life, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, as a child, a teenager, a college student, at the office, as a young husband, wife, father, mother, wise older folks. Keep on walking and pleasing God through Jesus Christ and because of Jesus Christ, the only way to please God.

Let’s settle it this morning. Who are you living to please, yourself or your God? In John 8:29 Jesus said, “I always do the things that are pleasing to God.” Here’s your banner verse as a true believer – this simplifies and personalizes your relationship with God.

2 Corinthians 5:9, Therefore we also have as our ambition (goal, aim), whether at home or away, to be pleasing to Him.

That’s one to memorize for sure. Our goal in life is to please God. Let God’s Word talk to you. Repeat it over and over. When you are struggling with a relationship or some temptation is trying to seduce you, ask yourself, “What is my goal here?” This verse is so simplifying and clarifying. When you are all upset, angry, bitter, and unforgiving, you are only thinking about yourself. Or you may live to please other people. In Colossians 3:22, “Don’t serve with eye-service as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.” When you live to please people you set God to the side. Put Him first in your heart and mind. Don’t lose that 2 Corinthians 5:9 goal to please God in all you do. 


Make this a daily prayer: “Lord, I want to please you in all respects today.” You can’t divide up your life into one part reserved for pleasing yourself and the other for pleasing your Lord. Our goal is to be pleasing to Him in every area. No secret closets or underground passages that you’d be embarrassed about if He knew. He does know. He knows everything you think and do. Would Christ be pleased if he literally walked and ate and lived right by your side every single day? If we are harboring a bitter, jealous, angry spirit, we know God is not pleased. Ephesians 4:29 says if our words are not encouraging, if they are cutting others down, we are grieving the Spirit. You have a decision to make. Will you stop what is displeasing to God and choose to ask for God’s forgiveness? God is pleased when we stop and pour out our hearts in confession and repentance. When we blow it, when we sin, we have a loving, heavenly Father who is ready to forgive when we confess our sins. Thank Him, rebound, and humbly get back on that path of walking and pleasing God.   

EXCEL STILL MORE

Caleb wasn’t satisfied with taking the easiest portion of the land. When the children of Israel got into the land, Caleb came up to Joshua and said, “God promised me this mountain. I was 40 when we spied out this land from Kadesh Barnea. Our fellow spies gave a bad report and made the people’s hearts melt with fear, so we spent 40 years wandering around the wilderness. Now I’m 85, just as strong as ever, and by the grace and mercy of God Almighty I’m ready to excel still more and go take this giant-infested mountain.” That’s the attitude of a vigorous, God-glorifying, God-pleasing faith.  

Let’s look at Paul’s practice to excel still more in his spiritual fight.

1 Corinthians 9:24-27, Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. [25] Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. [26] Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; [27] but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.

Paul was never satisfied with where he was. He wanted to excel still more in his Christian race, and he calls us to the same in 1 Corinthians 9: run to win (vs. 24), keep yourself under control (vs. 25), keep your purpose to please God clearly in mind (26-27). 

Don’t let your flesh rule. Fight the good fight. When you take a job, do a good job. Excel still more. Don’t go in looking like a slob. If you’re a salesman you want to greet customers with a smile and a warm greeting. When they come through the front door, don’t drag yourself over there as if it’s the worst thing that has happened all day. Paul told Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:4 that a soldier’s aim is to please the one who enlisted him.  

Get it? Excel still more to please your loving heavenly Father. Paul says you’re doing great but you can do better. When you were in grade school, you probably brought a report card home with a B- and your teacher added this note on it, “Could do better.” Out of God’s love and mercy for you in Jesus Christ and therefore your love for Him – he who is forgiven much loves much – your heart is aimed at walking and pleasing God and excelling still more. You’re right up there behind Enoch and Caleb. Enoch never said, “Oh, it’s so burdensome to walk with God.” No, he loved his God and found his greatest delight in walking with Him by faith every day.  

JESUS OUR AUTHORITY

1 Thessalonians 4:2, For you know what commandments we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.

While Paul has been fatherly in his exhortation to walk and please God and excel still more, he adds to this transition a reminder that we are under Jesus’ authority. As believers this is not a take it or leave it matter. Paul isn’t giving opinions or suggestions or advice for a better life. He now calls all of God’s Word and all the instructions he gave them “commandments.” It’s a military term meaning orders, charges, or commands. As believers in Jesus Christ we live under the authority of Jesus Christ. We are not our own. We’ve been bought with the price of the very blood of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. So we must take all of this seriously – Paul has taught us to walk and please God and excel still more.  

Let’s follow Enoch’s example with all the submission, humility, obedience, and gladness our Lord deserves. Examine your walk this morning. What do you see? Are you increasing, pressing on, excelling? Excelling all the more? Let me assure you, this isn’t going to happen in your own fleshly will power. Only by the indwelling power and strength of God’s wonderful Spirit can we walk and please Him day by day. Remember Professor Johnson: “I’m an old man still studying the Scriptures.” That’s the spirit. Don’t stagnate. Excel still more.

Of course, these first two verses in 1 Thessalonians 4 are aimed at genuine believers in Christ.  Before you can walk and please God and excel still more, you have to be born again, a new creation in Christ by your personal faith in Him alone. Trust Him as your only hope for God, heaven, and the forgiveness of your sins. You know what He came to do – to save sinners. He bore the punishment of God’s wrath on sinners as He hung on the cross and then rose from the dead and promises to save all who come to God through Him.