EXCELLING STILL MORE

Text- 1 Thessalonians 4:1

1 Thessalonians 4:1 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.  (NASB)

Introduction

This morning my sermon text is found in 1 Thessalonians. 4:1 and the title of my sermon is “Excelling Still More”.

Webster says that the word “excel” means, “to surpass, to outdo, or to do better”.

Throughout the past year I have kept a record of how well we have been doing in various phases of the Lord’s work.

Some of these areas that I have kept record of have been in the area of attendance in our services, which include monthly averages, a yearly average and a yearly percentage.

Another area that I have kept records of is in the number of first time visitors we have had for the year, the number of people we have seen saved, the number of people that we have baptized, reinstated and have joined our church and what percentage this is compared to our membership.

This morning I would like to share with you some of these statistics and look at some of the ways in which we can “excel still more” in this New Year to come.

(Read a list of statistics about church ministry)

All in all I would say that our church is doing very good in attending our services yet I believe you would agree that there is still room for us to “excel still more” in this
area of service to God.

From these statistics I am sure that you will all agree with me that there is also  room for us to “excel still more” in the area of witnessing and making disciples for the Lord!

During the past year I believe that the overall fellowship of our church has been excellent and was the best since I have been here as your pastor and possibly the best it has been in years.

Yet if I was to lump together all of these statistics and the work we have done in the past year for the Lord and all of our ups and downs, I believe that the Apostle Paul would tell us the same thing that he told the church in Thessalonica in 1 Thessalonians 4:1 where he told them to “excel still more”.

When the famous Danish sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen was asked which of his statues was the greatest, he replied, "The next one!"  Evidently he was never content to rest upon his laurels. He sought continual improvement.  His constant hope and his driving desire were that his most noble achievement was still ahead.

This is not a time to rest upon our laurels and become content, satisfied or smug about the accomplishments we have made in the past year.  Now is the time to determine to improve and excel still more.

As believers there is always room for growth in our lives.

Philippians 3:12-14  I do not mean that I am already as God wants me to be. I have not yet reached that goal. But I continue trying to reach it and to make it mine. Christ wants me to do that. That is the reason Christ made me his. 13Brothers, I know that I have not yet reached that goal. But there is one thing I always do: I forget the things that are past. I try as hard as I can to reach the goal that is before me. 14I keep trying to reach the goal and get the prize. That prize is mine because God called me through Christ to the life above. (ICB)

This morning I’d like us to look at four ways we can all “excel still more” in this new year.