1 Thessalonians 5:12-28
The title of this message is based on the fact that the command to thankfulness is found in the center of the 16 verses we’ve just ready. It’s also an admonition for daily living, that we keep thanksgiving in the middle of all that we do. Looking for reasons to be grateful results in a more joyous and spiritually mature life.
Thankfulness is an essential part of spiritual growth.
1. Spiritual growth happens in right relationships with our church leaders. (12-13)
Honor your honorable leaders. (12) What constitutes an “honorable leader?” There are three things Paul identified in this letter:
- They are doing the LORD’S WORK.
- They are working hard (see admonition against laziness).
- They give SPIRITUAL GUIDANCE.
We honor our honorable leaders by support their work with the right behavior. (13) Paul offered three examples of such behavior.
- Give them GREAT RESPECT.
- Give them WHOLEHEARTED LOVE.
- LIVE PEACEFULLY WITH EACH OTHER.
2. Spiritual growth happens when believers are in accountable relationships with one another. (14-15,20-22, 26-27)
Paul used the expression BROTHERS AND SISTERS five times in this passage, emphasizing the church’s togetherness. There are to be no divisive spirits or actions. He added the word DEAR twice to show his deep affection for the believers.
Accountable relationships require us to love each other enough to warn sinners and encourage saints. (14, 26-27) In this we are to follow the example of Jesus, who confronted evil doers and comforted the needy, all the while showing patience with everyone.
Jesus confronted evil doers. His sharpest words of rebuke and even condemnation were levelled at people who did the works of the devil, regardless of what allegiance they claimed.
Jesus comforted the needy and the faithful. Conversely, Jesus gave His most comforting words to the sick, the poor, and the repentant. He recognized their faith with healing and salvation.
In both cases, Jesus was patient with everyone. Though He knew their hearts and could predict their behavior, He still gave each person a chance to decide how they would react to Him. This is His example of being nonjudgmental.
Paul applied Jesus’ example to the Thessalonian believers. As an example of necessary confrontation, he wrote, WARN THOSE WHO ARE LAZY. Some people were using the immanent return of Jesus as an excuse for laziness. They might’ve said something like, “Jesus could come again any time, so there’s no need to work or plan for tomorrow.” The Bible condemns laziness as a sin. These people were also guilty of hypocrisy. The leaders of the church were to WARN such people that when Jesus came, they would be exposed as lazy hypocrites and have no place in Christ’s kingdom.
That same Christ-like love calls us to ENCOURAGE THOSE WHO ARE TIMID and give TENDER CARE to THOSE WHO ARE WEAK. To be TIMID is to fail to exercise the authority all believers have through Jesus Christ. Paul may’ve been thinking about leaders who were not leading assertively. To be WEAK is to suffer a mental or emotional illness that saps one’s strength.
Whether the need was for correction or consolation, Christ-like relationships begin with patience: BE PATIENT WITH EVERYONE. Patience is needed for everyone. Like Jesus, we need to give evil doers a chance, and then a little rope from which they can hang themselves. Good people require patience sometimes because of miscommunications or moods. So, make patience your first choice, hear them out, confirm what you’re hearing. If you’re hearing error or evil, care enough about that person to confront them. If you see they’re trying to do good but are miscommunicating or going about it sideways, bring gentle correction. Don’t be in a hurry to judge.
Do good, not evil. (15) “Fight fire with fire” is NOT a biblical expression nor is it a God-approved sentiment. Don’t try to “get even.” Those are foolish excuses to give into angry sin and yet try to look pious.
Instead of making excuses and doing evil, take the godly path and do good. The phrase TO EACH OTHER refers to the church. We have a special duty to DO GOOD to our BROTHERS AND SISTERS. We are also to DO GOOD TO ALL PEOPLE, believers and unbelievers. Our default approach to people is to be patient with them and look for ways to do good.
Test all teachings, retain the good, avoid the evil. (20-22) DO NOT SCOFF AT PROPHECIES means to think like a believer, not an unbeliever. Lose your grumpy cynicism. PROPHECIES were messages given by God to His people. They were Spirit-led and occurred most often in a worship service. To SCOFF at them would be to discount the possibility that these unexpected utterances were really from God. Such an attitude may feel or sound logical, but it is disbelief, a sin.
The alternative is to approach alleged prophecies or other supernatural experiences with an open mind & biblical literacy, to TEST, not to reject, such things.
- The first test is scriptural. Is this utterance in line with the clear teaching of the Bible?
- The second test is moral. Will this utterance lead to more godliness?
- The third test is logical. Does this utterance make sense? Is it aligned with what we know to be true?
- The fourth test is traditional. Does this teaching align with the faith and order we’ve received from previous generations?
If the answer to all these questions is yes, the prophecy may be received, discussed, and implemented.
As an afterthought, in vs. 26-27, Paul offered a pair of practical suggestions to help build up the fellowship of the church. First, be friendly and hospitable. That’s the thought behind the SACRED KISS. In that culture, a KISS was a typical greeting, even between members of the same gender. Paul called them to a higher standard of hospitality when he commanded greetings with a SACRED KISS. Everything that’s SACRED is devoted to God
Second, Paul commanded the leaders to share this letter with everyone. Make it a teaching observed by all. We know that Paul is extra serious on this point because he invoked the Name: IN THE NAME OF THE LORD. This directive has come from the highest authority. We read this letter on a page. In ancient Thessalonica, it was read aloud by the leaders. It was discussed and the leaders helped the people understand and apply Paul’s teachings.
3. Spiritual growth happens when you’re full of the right stuff. (16-18, 25)
First, be joyful. (16) We all know what JOYFUL means, right? Maybe. True joy comes from the LORD and centers on good. The qualifier is ALWAYS. How is this possible? Our experience indicates there are times we are going to be sorrowful. Joy is not just an emotion. It is a sense of well-being and contentment that can always be present as we concentrate on the LORD.
Second, be prayerful. (17, 25) Prayer is talking with God & listening to Him. The command in v. 17 is to NEVER STOP PRAYING. How is that possible? It simply means to pray about everything and to use every spare moment to pray. Paul’s request in v. 25 applies this principle of prayer. He asked, “While you’re praying, remember to pray for us.”
Third, be thankful. (18) Here we are the centerpiece of this section of Paul’s instructions. It deserves to be at the center because thankfulness is an attitude that takes focus off self (which leads to sin) and switches focus to Christ (which leads to godliness). Thankfulness focuses on what you have and are grateful for, while ingratitude focuses on what you want, promoting envy and resentment. Thankfulness is a spiritual discipline that helps you keep the 10th Commandment, the one against coveting. Notice the qualifier: it is GOD’S WILL FOR YOU to be THANKFUL IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES. How do we do this? Look for God’s provision and be grateful.
Fourth, be Spirit-filled. (19) DO NOT STIFLE THE HOLY SPIRIT
means to not oppose the Holy Spirit within you, but to instead follow His lead. God has given the Holy Spirit to everyone who believes on Him. Paul used terms like the “Baptism of the Spirit” and the “Filling of the Spirit” to indicate that God is not stingy with His Spirit. He gives us a full measure of the Spirit, all that we need to be saved and become sanctified.
After that, it’s up to us, in our daily decisions, whether we will give the Spirit control or just push our agenda.
4. Spiritual growth happens in right relationship with God. (23-24, 28)
God will faithfully make you holy. (23-24) As though he intended to end the letter with these two verses, Paul offered a blessing, and then added a “postscript” in vs. 25-27, and another blessing in v. 28. This is not unusual in Paul’s letters because he dictated his thoughts to a secretary who wrote down what he said the first time.
It is the intention of the GOD OF PEACE to do two things between now and when OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST COMES AGAIN. One, to MAKE YOU HOLY IN EVERY WAY. Sadly, we spend so much of our day trying to make ourselves happy when wants us to allow Him to make us HOLY. Notice that no part of our life is exempt from holiness. It is God’s will for us to be HOLY in all our dealings.
Two, establishing holiness, God wants to maintain it so you remain BLAMELESS. Moral/spiritual perfection is not something we achieve on our own strength; it is something God gives us when we repent and receive the perfecting cleansing of His forgiveness.
We know ourselves. If we are honest with ourselves, we will admit that being HOLY to the point of being BLAMELESS sounds impossible. Paul wants to assure his readers that God can make this HAPPEN, because HE IS FAITHFUL. Blameless holiness is impossible for us, but we need only receive it by faith and God makes it happen.
Grace is the means God will use to make you holy. (28) God’s grace, when we think about it, is the means He uses to do all that He does for us. Grace can be defined as God’s prior actions on our behalf that we must accept by faith. The fact that we cannot achieve it on our own gives Him more glory and demonstrates the depth of His love for us.
The means of the delivery of God the Father’s GRACE is God the Son, OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. Paul’s final and best blessing is the Christ will be with, abide in, be active within, his readers. May we likewise receive the same grace and be thankful for it.
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