A. How you ought to walk (Romans 6:4; 8:1; Galatians 5:16, 25; Romans 13:13; Ephesians 4:1)
B. How you ought to please God (Romans 8:8; Hebrews 11:6)
C. Remember the commandments given through Jesus
II. Your sanctification (4:3-7)
A. Abstain from sexual immorality (Galatians 5:19; 1 Corinthians 6:18; Ephesians 5:3)
B. Possess your own vessel in sanctification and honor (Galatians 5:23; 2 Peter 1:6)
C. Do not defraud your brother in this matter (Matthew 18:6-7)
III. Who are you rejecting? (4:8)
A. When you reject sound teaching, you don’t reject man but God (Luke 10:16)
B. Apostles and others inspired during the miraculous age were speaking God’s Word, not their own opinions (2 Timothy 4:2)
I. “Blessed” indicates happiness (Deuteronomy 33:29)
A. A blessed man refuses evil things (Psalm 1:1)
B. A blessed man delights in good things (Psalm 1:2; Deuteronomy 6:4-9; James 1:21-25)
II. Bearing fruit for the LORD (Psalm 1:3)
A. The tree is planted intentionally (Psalm 34:14-16)
B. “In its season” (Matthew 7:17-19; John 15:1-2, 4-6)
C. “Whatever he does shall prosper” (1 Corinthians 15:58)
III. Further contrast between the ungodly and the righteous
A. Ungodly “are like the chaff” (Psalm 1:4)
B. They will one day lose God’s blessings (Psalm 1:5)
C. It is a special blessing to be known by the LORD and to be counted by Him as righteous (Psalm 1:6; James 2:22-23)
A. Persecution had forced Paul and Silas to leave the city (Acts 17:5-10)
B. Timothy was sent back to comfort the afflicted (3:1-3)
C. Preparation and comfort (3:4-5; 2 Timothy 3:12; John 15:19; 1 Peter 5:8; Galatians 4:11; Philippians 2:16)
II. Timothy’s good report (3:6-10)
A. We can find encouragement in the faith of others (3:6-8; 1 Corinthians 15:58)
B. Paul found joy in his brethren, even if they were not yet what they should be (3:9-10)
III. Paul’s prayer (3:11-13)
A. Paul prayed that he could return to Thessalonica (3:11), and he did! (Acts 20:1ff)
B. Paul prayed for an abundant increase in love (3:12)
1. Toward each other (4:9-10; 1 John 2:9-11; 3:10-12, 16, 23; 4:7-11; 5:1-2)
2. Toward all men (Luke 6:32-36; Galatians 6:10)
C. The ultimate goal: appear blameless in holiness before God at Jesus’ coming (3:13)
A. Amnon lusts after his half-sister Tamar and violates her (2 Samuel 13:1-21)
B. Two years later, Absalom murders Amnon in retaliation (2 Samuel 13:22-33)
C. Absalom flees to Geshur for three years (2 Samuel 13:34-39)
II. The parable (2 Samuel 14:1-14)
A. Joab’s plan (2 Samuel 14:1-3)
B. The woman’s predicament (2 Samuel 14:4-7)
C. The king’s pronouncement (2 Samuel 14:8-11)
D. The plot twist (2 Samuel 14:12-14)
III. The application
A. God’s mercy is greater than our sin (Romans 5:6-11)
B. Restitution is not always possible (Romans 12:18)
C. God desires reconciliation (Ephesians 3:10-12; Colossians 1:19-23)
A. “A change of heart that leads to a change of mind, resulting in a change of action” (Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:8, 10; Acts 17:30-31; John 12:48; Luke 13:1-5)
B. Biblical examples of repentance
1. Nineveh (Jonah 1-3; Matthew 12:41)
2. Simon of Samaria (Acts 8:9-13, 18-24)
3. The Philippians jailer (Acts 16:23-33)
II. Who should repent?
A. The alien sinner (Romans 10:17; Hebrews 11:6; Romans 10:10; Acts 2:38; 3:19)
B. The Christian who sins (Galatians 2:11-13; Matthew 5:31-32)
C. The erring congregation (Revelation 2:4, 14; 3:1, 14)
III. Why is repentance important?
A. Because of the goodness of God (Romans 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9)
B. Because of the severity of God (Romans 11:22; 2 Corinthians 5:10-11)
A. Solomon’s shortcomings (3:3-4)
B. Yet, God offered to provide for His people (3:5)
II. Solomon’s prayer (3:6-9)
A. A high view of God’s power (3:6)
B. Humility (3:7)
C. An awareness of obligation (3:8)
D. The request: “an understanding heart” (3:9)
III. God’s response (3:10-14)
A. God granted Solomon’s petition (3:10-12)
B. God gave more than Solomon asked (3:13-14)
IV. Solomon’s praise (3:15)
A. Burnt offerings
B. Peace offerings
C. Sharing in a feast for his servants
V. Lessons for today
A. God still offers to take care of His servants (Matthew 7:7-8)
B. A proper view of God and self (Hebrews 4:16)
C. God still answers prayers (James 1:5) and still does more than we can imagine! (Ephesians 3:20)
D. Gratitude and praise for His blessings (Ephesians 3:21)
A. The proper reception: “not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the Word of God”
B. God’s Word produces faith (Romans 10:17), possesses the power to save (Romans 1:16; James 1:21), leads to the new birth (1 Peter 1:22-23), sanctifies the believer (John 17:17)
C. Do we treasure the Word like Paul, like the church in Thessalonica, and like the inspired poet of Israel did? (Psalm 19:7-11)
II. The example of endurance in persecution (2:14-16)
A. We should be encouraged by the perseverance of our brethren (2:14)
B. The sins of the Jews summarized (2:15-16)
C. We must continue to boldly proclaim the gospel, regardless of what the government or the culture wants
III. The eager desire for fellowship (2:17-20)
A. Paul’s care and prayer for the church (2:17; 2 Corinthians 11:28; Colossians 2:5)
B. The opposition of Satan (2:18; 1 Peter 5:8-9; James 4:7)
C. What was Paul’s hope, joy, and crown of rejoicing? What is ours? (2:19-20; Matthew 6:19-21, 33; Col. 3:1-4)
A. The rich man, who took from others even when he had enough to provide for himself
B. The poor man, who had no recourse against the rich man’s treachery
C. The ewe lamb, treasured by the poor man, taken by the rich man
II. David’s reaction (12:5-6)
A. Anger against the rich man
B. Appeal to the Law of Moses (cf. Exodus 22:1)
III. Nathan’s rebuke (12:7-12)
A. “You are the man!”
B. Despite the Lord’s blessings, David wanted more
C. The king looked at Bathsheba, lingered at the window, and lusted after her (cf. James 1:14-15; 2 Timothy 2:22)
D. There are consequences to our actions
IV. David’s response (12:13)
A. Acknowledgement of sin (cf. 1 John 1:8-10)
B. Repentance (cf. Psalm 51)
V. Lessons for us
A. No matter how good you think you are (David was a man after God’s own heart – cf. Acts 13:22), you are not immune to temptation and sin
B. No matter how bad you think you are (David was an adulterer and murderer – cf. Deuteronomy 22:22; Exodus 21:12), God’s grace can overcome your past
C. Repentance and restitution (if possible) are necessary
A. Worship is useless if you do not try to resolve personal conflict (Matthew 5:23-24; 1 John 2:9-11; 4:20-21)
B. The desire for peace (Romans 12:18)
II. When you are sinned against, and your brother does not come to you
A. Three steps (Matthew 18:15-17)
1. Go to him alone (18:15)
2. Take two or three witnesses (18:16; cf. Deut. 19:15)
3. Tell it to the church (18:17; cf. 2 Thessalonians 3:6)
B. The responsibility of the offended to forgive (Matthew 18:21-35)
III. When you observe sin in the life of another
A. Restore him with gentleness (Galatians 6:1)
B. Don’t gossip (Ephesians 4:29; James 1:26; Titus 3:2;
2 Timothy 2:16)
C. The consequence of restoration (James 5:19-20)
But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. (Acts 8:12)
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