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February 24, 2019
Paul Poteat (Downtown Campus) | 1 Thessalonians 5:12-28
We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good.Abstain from every form of evil.
Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.
Brothers, pray for us.
Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss.
I put you under oath before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.—1 Thessalonians 5:12–28
Introduction
I think most of you are aware that for the past year that, whenever we’ve had campus specific preaching, we’ve been working through the book of 1 Thessalonians. Today, I get to wrap things up with the last 17 verses of the book. That being said, Pastor Ken might want to have the last word on 1 Thessalonians on down the road.
If you’ve missed some of these sermons along the way or if you’re visiting Bethlehem for the first time then this could be a little more difficult or confusing for you. Imagine …
Watching a Netflix series and starting with the last episode of the final season. It’s usually a really good episode where a lot comes together, but if you’ve missed the first four seasons you’re going to be in the dark. Like that, 1 Thessalonians ends in a pretty exciting way so I’m eager to dive in, but I feel the need to ZOOM OUT for two big picture realities for you first to help you get your bearings, then we’re going to ZOOM IN for a few specific exhortations, then ZOOM OUT one last time
To frame these …
First, Paul is thankful for the gospel at work in them and then goes on to explain that reality.
Second, Paul then prays for God to make them holy and then goes on to talk about how that should happen:
Third, Paul then prays for God to make them holy and closes the letter
Draw your attention to some bookends here in this last section:
Prayer for Holiness ----- How to be holy ----- Prayer for Holiness
In this section and today’s passage specifically, We’re about to dive into Paul’s final exhortations for what it looks like to be a Christian. But one more ZOOM OUT.
You could be here hearing “17 commands for what it means to be holy, to be a Christian,” and think, “Yep, this is exactly what I remember about church—do this, don’t do that, be good and then God will accept you.” But that is not Christianity and that is not what this passage is saying. That is Bad News.
Every other major religion in the world says, “Be good and God will accept you.” It’s what we do to get to God. In fact, it’s how everything works: school, job, sometimes parenting. Only Christianity (true, biblical, Christ-centered Christianity) says, “You are accepted by God, therefore obey.” And 1 Thessalonians is no different!
The book begins with Paul’s joy at the Thessalonians’ faith in Christ, their trusting in Jesus, the way that the good news of what Jesus has done came to them (not in mere words but) in a powerful, life-altering way. Then he wrote three chapters about the outworking of that reality before he said, “Now, let’s talk about what a Christian is like, what holiness is.” This is simply how the Bible talks about salvation:
God shows his love in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.—Romans 5:8
By grace you are saved through faith, this is not of your own doing, it is the gift of God, not the result of works so that no one can boast.—Ephesians 2:8–9
What we want you to know (visitor, skeptic, doubter, attendee, member) is that the core truth to Christianity is that Jesus Christ died and rose again for you. … Will you believe?
One last thing here: It is also not Christianity to say, “Just believe and that’s it; you’re good to go.” Rather, you’re accepted therefore obey; not simply “You’re accepted.” The fact that you need saving says that you’re outside of God’s good plan, God’s will. Now that you believe that Jesus died for you, what does it look like to live according to God’s good plan? What does it look like to be a Christian?
Illustration: PHONOGRAPHIC MEMORY with DC Talk song “ What If I Stumble?”
The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians who profess Jesus with their lips and deny him with their lifestyle.
How you live matters. It demonstrates your faith, validates your changed life, and says something to a watching world. Don't be like the demons
You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!—James 2:19
If you say you love Jesus but …
I could go on. It is also for your JOY. It’s not simply “live like this or else” but want to live according to God’s good plan for you. Do you want to be happy? Again, this is the language of Scripture:
Praise the Lord! Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in his commandments!—Psalm 112:1
In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”—Acts 20:35
“Obedience is the Great Opener of the eyes.” ~ George MacDonald
As we obey we become more aware of truth, of God’s plan, of Joy.
Remember, there are 17 commands, so we can’t touch on each one this morning. I’ve tried to group them into three categories: Outward, Inward, Upward.
Verses 12–13 deal with how people should relate to leaders in the church. This is the reality of preaching through a book of the Bible—you speak on what the text provides you. Maybe discouraged pastors sometime choose this text to garner respect, but we are simply here because we are here.
The call is to respect, esteem highly, and love your leaders. From all the commentaries I looked at, this seems to be speaking about one group of people (three participles following a single article) the “elders.” It should be read like this: Esteem the people who X, Y, & Z. Not who did X, and those who did Y, and those who did Z. That’s the specific call of the text. However, I would like to note that I believe it’s safe to extend this to small group leaders & co-leaders, Titus 2 leaders, and Bible study leaders. In Romans 16, Paul uses this same word, “labor among you,” to describe three women in Romans 16 who labored with Paul. I don’t think it’s a throw-away statement that after this call, Paul says, “be at peace among yourselves.”
Even in a healthy church like Thessalonica, apparently some tension arose between leaders and members. Paul saw the way that people viewed leaders as a precursor to peace. Consider … Small Group aims, budget, pastoral care, counsel, sanctity of life, DART, spiritual gifts, divorce/remarriage, ethnic harmony, worship music, the campus-specific preaching—all topics that pastors are currently working through.
When you come out of a sermon, do you say, “What’d you think about that?” or “What’s God saying to you?” I commend the latter to you. Leadership can be lonely, and leaders need encouragement. That’s what this verse is calling you to (the word is “toil, work hard”).
I say “family members” because 1 Thessalonians is full of family language: “like a mother,” “like a father,” “like infants”; and five times in this passage, “brothers and sisters.” Church is supposed to have a family feel (knowing, being known, caring for each other, protecting each other). How do you relate to family?
Admonish the Idle
“Admonish” is a warning, a stronger call to action or correction (get back in line). Noteworthy that it’s the same word used of leaders in the previous verses. You don’t have to be a leader to lead! Leading should get you the title of “Leader.”
And to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.—1 Thessalonians 4:11
Maybe at Bethlehem, could this be people who aren’t active in the life of the church? Join as members, join a small group, use your gifts for the building up of the body!
Encourage the Fainthearted
“Encourage” is to come alongside. In 1 Thessalonians 4:13 and 5:1 people were discouraged about those who had died, the return of Jesus, I think you could call them fainthearted.
Maybe at Bethlehem: People struggling with singleness, SSA, wayward children, pursuit of ethnic harmony, unemployed, widows/widowers, etc.
Help the Weak
“Help” – hold onto or hold back. In 1 Thessalonians 4:1–7 people were struggling with sexual immorality, with sin.
Maybe at Bethlehem: Those struggling with sin, those with weaker consciences? How are you holding onto those struggling around you? Do you even know anyone like this? Family should know.
1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 says to rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks. Why? Because this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
These exhortations are aimed at our hearts, right? The amazing thing about the gospel is how it changes us from the inside. The way you can engage in these previous exhortations is to be supernaturally changed at the heart level. You can “will” yourself to do the other things, but you can’t simply “be joyful.” So … Joyful, Dependent, Thankful. Unceasing is constant dependence, often & repeatedly, don’t give up. Give thanks in all circumstances”—not for them all.
In 1 Thessalonians 5:19–22, Paul speaks to the spirit, prophecy, testing everything, holding onto what is good. Be biblically rooted—this is where you are supernaturally changed, by relating with God’s truth, God’s words.
Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.—Acts 17:11
Test this sermon. Test what you hear. Ask God to only let you remember what is good, right, true!
Feeling challenged or overwhelmed to the high call of holiness? I think Paul knew what he was doing. Holiness, being blameless, is a high call. This is what he wants for his people, what God wants for us. This is the call to be wholly holy.
Holiness outward, inward, upward. It’s big, it’s breathtaking … is it possible? How? How do you do all this!? I can feel tempted to just throw in the towel. I’m trying but don’t see much growth. But don’t forget that last prayer …
Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.—1 Thessalonians 5:23–24
What a sweet and timely prayer. Who is providing the power? GOD. I have been urging you, but it is only with God’s power that you can be sanctified. He doesn’t say, “Go sanctify yourself.”
Consecrate yourselves, therefore, and be holy, for I am the Lord your God. Keep my statutes and do them; I am the Lord who sanctifies you.— Leviticus 20:7–8
Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.— Philippians 2:12–13
He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.—1 Thessalonians 5:24
Is your faith in your ability to obey or in the faithfulness of God? Are you keeping your promises or is God keeping his? Paul is asking God to do the things that God calls us to and promises to complete.
Give me the grace to do as you command, and command me to do what you will.—Augustine
Conclusion
That would seem like the best place to end things but Paul throws in one last thing for the family:
Grace to you! … Jesus died and rose again to make us wholly holy!