God’s Will, Our Sanctification 

Opening reading: Acts 17:1-9 

“Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. 2 And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ.” 4 And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a great many of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women. 5 But the Jews were jealous, and taking some wicked men of the rabble, they formed a mob, set the city in an uproar, and attacked the house of Jason, seeking to bring them out to the crowd. 6 And when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also, 7 and Jason has received them, and they are all acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.”8 And the people and the city authorities were disturbed when they heard these things. 9 And when they had taken money as security from Jason and the rest, they let them go.” 

The church in Thessalonica faced immediate persecution in response to the Gospel taking root—as we read their mail, we can see that Paul is responding to some anxieties and questions about the future, and hope, and “what do we do?” 

• He is also responding to their faithfulness in the face of significant trials 

• Through his encouragement and prayer, we get a picture of “what are we supposed to do when it gets hard?” as well as “What is God doing when it gets hard?” 

1 Thessalonians 3:11-13 

“11 Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you, 12 and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, 13 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.” 

• A prayer over the church during their hardship—that their hearts would be established and blameless in holiness. 

1 Thessalonians 4:1-8 

“Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, 5 not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God;6 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. 7 For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. 8 Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.” 

• Paul offers advice toward a focus on sanctification, God’s will for us all 

• We are getting real here, but this is not a “be better/do better” message 

Sanctification: Consecration, purification; to be set aside or set apart for holy purposes. 

• Being set aside and set apart for a specific/holy purpose (Kallie packing example) 

• Used often in the OT referring to things in the tabernacle or temple used in worship 

• Priests, utensils, garments, the tabernacle or temple itself 

• These people and things had to be cleansed in order to be used for the massive job of facilitating the interaction of a completely holy God with a completely sinful people 

2 Samuel 6:5-15 / Leviticus 10:1-3 are a couple examples of the high stakes involved here. 

• And now, to this church facing death, remaining faithful, and asking questions about the end of all things, Paul instructs them that God’s will/intention for them is to be sanctified. 

A picture of sanctification: The Cathedral of St. Sophia 

**Show first image (exterior) 

• It was built as a Christian Cathedral in 1209, on the site of a former Orthodox church, for the explicit purpose of offering worship, prayers, and sacrifice to God—to be a place of communion with the Lord. 

• In 1570, the land around it conquered by the Ottoman Empire, it was converted into a mosque, repurposed for a different kind of worship 

• The entire architecture of this building speaks of its original design and purpose 

**Show second image (interior) 

• As a mosque, minarets have been added to the outside and the interior has been completely reoriented in order to face Mecca—the pillars and arches point you one way, to the original design. The carpet and “fixings” point you in the opposite direction 

• This is a representation of the fall of humanity—originally designed as image bearers, worshippers of the Most High, but now “occupied” by the invading army of sin and death, repurposed for destruction 

• Lets assume the land around this mosque was either reconquered or converted to Christianity, and this building was able to go back to its original purpose—it’s a cathedral again 

Colossians 1:13-14 

“13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” 

• The identity and status has changed and that is not in question or up for debate at all. 

AND renovations are still needed in order to align ourselves to that fact. 

• The carpet in this building needs to be pulled up, the minarets need to be removed, the Eucharist and lectern need to be put back and these stages facing mecca taken down. 

• It may be a fact that you have become a temple of God, but it is also God’s will for your life that you be actively under a renovation process called Sanctification. 

What things in my life are actively working against the worship that God has created me to give? 

• Remember, this is not a “be better/do better” message. This is an act of grace. 

Philippians 1:6 

“6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” 

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 

“23 Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.” 

• He is the one who will surely do it. Our part is to submit to His work and invite His sanctifying renovations. 

Psalm 51:7-12 

“7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
    wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness;
    let the bones that you have broken rejoice.
9 Hide your face from my sins,
    and blot out all my iniquities.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
    and renew a right spirit within me.
11 Cast me not away from your presence,
    and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
    and uphold me with a willing spirit.” 

• This is a prayer of submission to the Lord for His purifying work in our lives 

• As we come to the Table of the Lord, we are each at different points of the sanctification process, but the Lord meets us with Jesus’ grace for us now.