Reference

1 Thessalonians 5:21-22
New Year Wisdom

“New Year Wisdom” 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22

Emmanuel Christian Church

12.31.23

INTRODUCTION: As we focus on the coming year, many of us are looking to make some changes. In surrendering our bad habits we hope to shed some foolishness. In starting some new habits, we find ourselves searching for wisdom. Thankfully, as Christians, we possess the greatest source of all wisdom - God's Word. It is from God's Word that we find three very practical bits of wisdom to carry into the New Year. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Paul gives them to us in 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22. 1 Thessalonians 5:21 Test everything. Hold on to the good. 22 Avoid every kind of evil. PROPOSITION: If we understand and exercise the wisdom of these two verses everyday of 2024, we will have a Happy New Year indeed! “Test everything.”

  • Discernment is very important!
  • We live in a spiritual war zone. Awareness of that fact is the first step in discernment! If you don’t realize you’re in the middle of a spiritual battlefield- you won’t see the need for spiritual discernment! 1 Peter 5:8“Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” Ephesians 6:11 “Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” 2 Corinthians 11:3 “…I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 11:14 “And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.”
  • The enemy doesn't try to blow our front door off its hinges, instead he tries to sneak in the back door!
  • Social media can be used to shape your worldview.
  • Music has the power to manipulate your emotions.
  • Marketing shapes your desires.
  • God’s Word warns us against the deceptive influences this world uses to lead us away from God. 1 John 2:15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For everything in the world — the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does — comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.
  • Failure to maintain our diligence in testing “everything” will make us liable to fall for anything! APPLICATION: In order to “Test Everything” you have to maintain a healthy spiritual skepticism. In order to do that you have to make a deliberate choice, and then make the effort to actually do the “testing”! Then, you need…
  • Some methods for “testing”:
  • Test with “common sense” (use your logic)!
  • “It can’t ALL be good!” (If it is, morality doesn’t exist)
  • “Just because it FEELS right, that doesn’t make it right!” (Feelings and emotions are untrustworthy moral judges)
  • There is such a thing as “right and wrong”!
  • Test with God's Word.
  • What does the Scripture directly say about it?
  • If the Scripture is silent, does it speak of a principle that would apply?
  • Test with God's people.
  • Seek out the input of spiritual people (don't just look for "yes men”).
  • Carefully listen.
  • Test with prayer.
  • Ask God for insight and wisdom. James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
  • Carefully listen. APPLICATION: Each of these tests will draw us away from ourselves and put us in contact with God's wisdom. None of them will work however, unless we are willing to take the risk of discovering ourselves to be wrong. “Hold on to the good.”
  • The “good” that Paul describes here is that which is outwardly attractive and inwardly beneficial. It is that which has already passed through the preceding “testing”. In other words, “It looks good and it IS good!”.
  • In Romans 12:9, Paul says: "cling to what is good”.
  • And then, Paul gives us an actual list of “good” things: Romans 12:10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.Romans 12:14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Romans 12:17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. APPLICATION: The real “proof” of anything's goodness is found in its positive effect upon the fellowship of believers. If it promotes righteousness, love and the expansion of the Gospel - you can be assured that it is “good".
  • To such “good” things, we should hold on with a "vise" like grip! APPLICATION: Opposition has never caused the Church to lose her grip. Only apathy can do the job! Don't allow yourself to become apathetic about the “good"! Holding on to the good requires a decided effort! Avoid every kind of evil.
  • Two possible variations are present in the understanding of “kind"
  • It looks BAD and it IS BAD!
  • It looks GOOD, but it IS BAD! APPLICATION: Let's just make it simple on ourselves and ignore the words “kind of” altogether! We need to avoid EVERY evil!
  • Methods for avoiding evil:
  • Love righteousness - stop flirting with "the line”! The word used here actually has the idea of “keeping your distance”!
  • Plan carefully - don't put yourself on the battle front with evil!
  • If you decide on your path beforehand, you will be less likely to stumble.
  • If you make your choices beforehand, you won't be hard pressed under battle conditions to “make up your mind”. CONCLUSION: The time for planning a successful New Year is nearly gone. Having heard God's direction, we need to act upon it!