Simple Yet Effective Directives for Living the Dynamic Jesus Life

The Jesus life is our focus this week. How different His life was from the normal of that day. Illustrating this Sue Monk Kidd shares the following story. “Years ago, she says, while shopping in a mall in Atlanta, I let go of my three-year-old son’s hand to examine a display of scarves. When I looked around a minute later, he was gone. In vain I searched the store aisles, panic beginning to churn in my stomach. Mall security began a search, but no one could find a riffle boy in a red Sesame Street shirt. For twenty minutes I circled the store with the manager, becoming more frantic with every loop. Finally, overwhelmed, I sank onto a bench. My child was gone. As I sat there grasping for direction, I suddenly remembered the scripture I had read that morning. Jesus, walking on the shore of Galilee, called to the disciples in their boat, “Haven’t you any fish?” (John 21:4–6). “No,” they answered. Then Jesus said a curious thing. “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” They tossed their nets on the opposite side and could scarcely haul them in for all the fish. At first, the verses seemed irrelevant to my missing child. Then suddenly, I sat straight up. If I want to figure out where a three-year-old would go, I thought, I need to think like a three-year-old. In other words, I should cast my net on the “other side” of the boat. I should come at the problem from a different angle, with a new vision. All at once it was as if the needle on an inner record player were lifted out of an old groove, and a whole new piece of music began to play. I walked to a children’s shoe store we had visited earlier. There, beside a replica of Big Bird of Sesame Street, I found my son. My nets were full. The verses in John that helped me find my son taught me that creative solutions are fished out of the cistern of our own being only when we break away from rusted, familiar ways of experiencing life and dare to approach it in unique ways.¹ We are talking about living the Jesus life today: Simple Yet Effective Directives for Living the Dynamic Jesus Life. All on this week’s Light on Life.

Listen to the Audio

Click to Listen | Right Click to Download |Subscribe in PlayerFM

Keys to A Happy Heart

[Tweet “If your desire is to live the Jesus life — that is live life like He lived it, then you must be an encourager.“]

Read the Notes

You can view a basic transcript of this podcast at the bottom of this section.

Accept the Challenge

Each week’s podcast contains a call to action. The Word of God will not produce in your life unless you put it into operation.
This week’s call is:

Living the Jesus life is the only way to go. He is the living example of the life of God. Do what you see Him do — say what you hear Him say.

Join the Conversation

Testimony is vital to a believer’s life. We overcome by it (Rev. 12:11). Each week’s podcast also contains a question designed to encourage testimony.
This week’s question is:

Question: How has your life changed living the Jesus life?

Episode Resources:

We are currently teaching in the book of First Thessalonians. You can click on the links below to listen to some of these podcasts.

About Emery

Emery committed his life to the Lord Jesus Christ over 45 years ago and has served as both a full-time pastor and an itinerant minister. He and his wife Sharon of 40 years emphasize personal growth and development through the Word of God. The ministry of the Holy Spirit is the focus and the hallmark of their mission. Read more about them here.

Subscribe to the Podcast

If you have enjoyed this podcast, please subscribe.

Note: Pocket Casts is available on the App Store or Google Play.

Pocket Casts

iTunes PlayerFM

Share the Love

If you enjoyed the podcast, please rate it on Stitcher Radio and leave a review. If you have a suggestion for a Bible topic, you would like to see taught, or if you have a question, please e-mail me at emery@emeryhorvath.com

Prayer

Father God we look to you for help — our help comes from the Lord, maker of heaven and earth. Thank you for showing and revealing to us the marvel that is the Jesus life. Thank you in His Mighty Name, Amen.

Podcast Notes

Living the Jesus Life: Encouragement

If your desire is to live the Jesus life — that is live life like He lived it, then you must be an encourager.
That’s what we read in First Thessalonians five.

1 Thessalonians 5:11–22 (ESV) — 11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. 12 We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, 13 and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. 14 And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the faint hearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. 15 See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies, 21 but test everything; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil.

So in the last few podcasts, we covered the subject of the Rapture and the Second Coming of Jesus.
If you haven’t had a chance to listen to them, those podcasts are available online at emeryhorvath.com.
The Rapture was in First Thessalonians 4 and the Second Coming was in the first 10 verses of Chapter 5.
Both of these sections end the same way, with a directive to encourage one another.

1 Thessalonians 4:18 (ESV) — 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.

This is what Paul says in chapter 4.
And, here in chapter 5 verse 11…

1 Thessalonians 5:1 1 (ESV) — Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

The Greek word ‘encourage’ is the one we want to look at and, with that thought, here is the Definition of the Day.
The word ‘encourage’ is a super exciting word.
It is the Greek word ‘parakaleo’ – [I hope I’m saying that right] and it is the same form of the word used to describe the Holy Spirit in John 14:16 where the Mighty Holy Spirit of God is called the Paraclete.
Parakaleo — Paraclete — the Word means to ask to come and be present where the speaker is, call to one’s side²
When you encourage someone, you come right along their side.
You know Jesus was with His disciples, right by their side for three-and-one-half-years.
When they were huddled together like frayed cats for fear of the Jews, Jesus was right there.

John 20:19–21 (ESV) — 19 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”

He was right there talking peace to people who had no peace.
Jesus was right there — He didn’t rebuke them because they were afraid even though we have the exact two-word phrase in the KJV 63 times which says fear not.
Instead of rebuking them, instead of sending them to time-out, He gave them a mission!
Talk about encouragement!
The word encouragement used here in Thessalonians also carries the idea of causing someone to be encouraged or consoled, either by verbal or non-verbal means—‘to encourage, to console, encouragement.’³
So encouragement involves words and it involves presence — your presence coming alongside them.
So, how do these two thoughts — being called alongside to help — and being encouraged and consoled merge into one word in the context of End Times?
That’s what’s being shared here.
Paul just got through talking about the Day of the Lord in the previous ten verses.
This Word concerning End Times should come alongside you and produce something in you because of its presence in your life.
It should produce consolation.
Looking at this from another angle.
You know Bible truth is like a mountain.
The view you get depends on what side of the mountain you’re on.
If you’re climbing on the north side of the mountain you get a different view than if you’re on the south side.
We looked at the Greek view of the word encourage, let’s now look at the English view.
The word encourage in English is a compound word composed of the words ‘en’ and the word ‘courage.’
It’s a French word that originated in the 15th century.
The word ‘en’ means to put in.
The word ‘courage’ means valor, or the quality of mind or heart which enables one to meet danger and trouble without fear.
Put these two words together and the word encourage means to put courage or valor into people.
Now, that’s a vital definition.
If the subject of End Times produces fear in you, you either heard it the wrong way – that is, you heard it with fearful ears because you already have fear in you — you’re a half-empty glass person instead of a half-full person or, the word you heard was taught the wrong way — with the wrong spirit.
I hope I didn’t do that here.
The encouragement part ought to be seen in what we read back in verse nine.

1 Thessalonians 5:9 (ESV) — 9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,

Isn’t that encouraging?
Since the Rapture means that you’ve been delivered from the wrath to come and that what comes after the Rapture doesn’t even involve you cause you’re not here, shouldn’t that be a source of comfort to you?
The negative happenings of End Time events should produce curiosity.
It should generate wonder at the power of God to clean up the ‘sin mess’ we are seeing and, it should give hope for the brightest of futures.
It should never produce fear.

Living the Jesus Life: Build You Up

Now, with the encouragement that the Word of God has produced in your life on the subject of End Times because you came into contact with it, that is, it came alongside you, you are to take that same word and come alongside your brother and sister in Christ and build them up.
That’s the next part of living the Jesus life — Jesus built people up.
He did not tear them down.
That’s what we read in our opening passage, right?

1 Thessalonians 5:11 (ESV) — Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

This is the first time Paul uses the Greek word ‘build up’ in his letters.
Of course, this is Paul’s first letter period.
The word ‘build up’ is a verb and it’s a word that was used in the construction business.
In fact, that’s what the word ‘build up’ means — to construct.
But, it means a little more than that.
It means to construct to the point of completion conceived of as constructing something further.
In other words, this building-up has a goal.
I heard one gentleman say, ‘A dream is a goal with a deadline.’
When you build a house, when you build a dream house there is a plan for that house — the plan shows what it’s going to look like when it’s done.
When you look at a house under construction, the structure advances in stages.
Each stage makes the house look different.
Every stage adds a dynamic that was not there before.
You move on and on until the house gets to the point of completion.
Moving in is not an option until it’s complete.
Being a Jesus follower, living the Jesus life, means you are continually being built up — being constructed to the point of completion.
The structure, your spirit man, is advancing.
Life goes on but you’re growing.
Life happens but you’re developing, you’re learning to flow as you grow.
Your conscience gets more sensitive.
You hear the voice of God clearer.
Your faith is growing exceedingly.
You’re trusting Him in more and more areas as life goes forward.
You still get irritated, yes but not as much as you did before.
You are in the process of arriving.
The love of God is abounding in you more and more.
You’re growing in humility and the fear of the Lord.
You are acting on the Word.
How do you know when the house is done?
I’m glad you asked that — I was going to tell you anyway.

Ephesians 4:11–12 (ESV) — 11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,

Build up the body — that’s the part of the Jesus life we’re talking about here.

Ephesians 4:13–16 (ESV) —13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

The Jesus life is a continual life of growth.
Those who are in Jesus are people who are growing, maturing, abiding, and practicing the love of God.
These great Holy Spirit-inspired truths that we have looked at in chapters four and five on the Rapture and the Second Coming are designed to do one thing — to put courage in you and to build you up to the point of completion.

1 Corinthians 8:1 (ESV) — 1 Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” This “knowledge” puffs up, but love builds up.

Knowledge puffs but walking in love helps with the construction.

1 Corinthians 10:23 (ESV) — 23 “All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up.

All things are lawful but not all lawful things help with the construction — help with advancing to the point of completion.

1 Corinthians 14:4 (ESV) — 4 The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church.

You see that same Greek word ‘build up’ is in this verse twice.
Speaking in tongues is a dynamic thing — it adds to your personal construction and it adds to the construction of the Church — the body of Christ.

1 Corinthians 14:13–17 (ESV) — 13 Therefore, one who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret. 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful. 15 What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also. 16 Otherwise, if you give thanks with your spirit, how can anyone in the position of an outsider say “Amen” to your thanksgiving when he does not know what you are saying? 17 For you may be giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not being built up.

So, the same Greek word here for ‘build up’ is the one we see in First Thessalonians five.
Can you now see having read this passage in First Corinthians 14, that when we come together in a public assembly, even in this marvelous area of speaking with other tongues, the goal of that is others being constructed?
How can anyone be built up if they don’t understand the words that are being spoken when words are the building block of the construction?
So, bringing these thoughts back over into the letter we are studying: the people of Thessaloniki did not understand what was happening with their loved ones who were falling asleep in Jesus.
They needed some words, some understanding of End Times.
It was a vital part of their construction.

Living the Jesus Life: Respect

The next part of living the Jesus life is respect.

1 Thessalonians 5:12(ESV) — 12 We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you,

You will find as you study God’s Word that respect is a big thing in the Kingdom of God.
Disrespect is for the ungodly bunch of Planet Earth.
Respect is vital in all areas — that includes politics.
Leaders from both sides — presidential candidates continue in the ungodly tactic of being disrespectful to gain an edge with voters.
It’s wrong.
We should know what the word ‘respect’ used here in Thessalonians means.
It means to know, to acknowledge the high status of a person.
To respect someone means to honor them, and to appreciate their worth.
Are the Democrats appreciating the Republicans?
Are the Republicans appreciating the Democrats?
Now, spiritual leaders are the context of this passage.
They are the ones we are supposed to honor.
They are over us in the Lord.
The Greek word ‘are over’ means to take the lead and to do so in a caring and engaged way.
The two-word phrase ‘ are over’ has multiple senses in scripture.
See, for example, this verse in Titus chapter three.

Titus 3:8 (ESV) — 8 The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people.

Do you see the word ‘devote’ here?
It’s the same word ‘ are over’ in First Thessalonians.
Isn’t that odd?
It’s true though.
Drop down a couple of verses and you will see this again.

Titus 3:14 (ESV) — 14 And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful.

Devoting yourself to good works means in a sense that you are ‘over them’ — over these works.’
So, the word ‘are over’ can mean to exercise a position of leadership, rule, direct, be at the head (of) or literally take the lead.⁴
Being devoted is part of being over.
Let’s look at another use of this word in First Timothy.

1 Timothy 5:17 (ESV) — 17 Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching.

The word ‘rule well’ is the same Greek word.
So, ‘are over,’ devote, rule well — now you should be starting to get a feel for this word.

1 Timothy 3:12 (ESV) — 12 Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well.

Now, throw the word ‘managing’ into the mix — it’s the same word.
So, let’s take all of this and head back to our verse and plug it in.
To live the Jesus life involves respect for those who labor among you and are over you [devoted to you, lead you, rule well, and manage you] in the Lord.
Respect those who labor among you, acknowledge their high status, honor them, and appreciate their worth, they are over you, that is, they are devoted to you, rule well, and manage you] in the Lord.
These are a few of the components of the Jesus life.

Now Father God thank you once again. Help us to put into practice what we have heard. Help us to encourage, to build up, to respect, and to admonish one another in Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Simple Yet Effective Directives for Living the Dynamic Jesus Life
You guys have a great God week and we will see you next time for another edition of Light on Life.

#S4-038: Why Rebuking Darkness Directly is Greater Faith in God [Podcast]

__________
References:

Discipleship Journal, Issue 48 (November/December 1988) (NavPress, 1988). ↩
William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 764. ↩
Johannes P. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains (New York: United Bible Societies, 1996), 305. ↩
William Arndt, Frederick W. Danker, and Walter Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 870. ↩

2 thoughts on “Simple Yet Effective Directives for Living the Dynamic Jesus Life”

Charles Hines says:

September 18, 2023 at 4:18 AM

A great testimony of lost and found. I had a similar experience in a park , when my 5 year old went after another lad in the fellowship group, and was found wandering around- fortunately by the vicar’s wife of a nearby church; – an answer to prayer he was duly returned to our door!
- Emery Horvath says:
  
  September 18, 2023 at 1:19 PM
  
  That’s great news – I am glad you are sharing your story!

Comments are closed.

emeryhorvath.com

Equipping people to pursue God's glory

Simple Yet Effective Directives for Living the Dynamic Jesus Life

Podcast: Light on Life Season Ten Episode Thirty-Seven

by Emery Horvath

Listen to the Audio

Click to Listen | Right Click to Download |Subscribe in PlayerFM

Read the Notes

Accept the Challenge

Join the Conversation

Episode Resources:

We are currently teaching in the book of First Thessalonians. You can click on the links below to listen to some of these podcasts.

About Emery

Subscribe to the Podcast

Share the Love

Prayer

Podcast Notes

Living the Jesus Life: Encouragement

Living the Jesus Life: Build You Up

Living the Jesus Life: Respect

2 thoughts on “Simple Yet Effective Directives for Living the Dynamic Jesus Life”

Listen to the Audio

Click to Listen | Right Click to Download |Subscribe in PlayerFM

Read the Notes

Accept the Challenge

Join the Conversation

Episode Resources:

We are currently teaching in the book of First Thessalonians. You can click on the links below to listen to some of these podcasts.

About Emery

Subscribe to the Podcast

Share the Love

Prayer

Podcast Notes

Living the Jesus Life: Encouragement

Living the Jesus Life: Build You Up

Living the Jesus Life: Respect

Related posts:

2 thoughts on “Simple Yet Effective Directives for Living the Dynamic Jesus Life”