Above and Beyond VI
Above and Beyond VI – Readiness 9/10/06 am (1 Thess. 5:12-28)
OS: 1 Prepared for Camping?
I. Conclude our series – Above and Beyond
A. Paul was proud of these new Christians in Thessalonica (he called them his hope and his joy),
1. They were definitely on the right track... Keep Growing…Abound more and more…
2. Final comments reminds them of what/who they are.
II. We can’t help but be reminded in our text today that we are family.
A. The last 16 verses of this letter; that they are “family.”
1. One of Paul’s favorite terms for describing believers was “brothers.”
a. Paul uses the word “brothers” over 60 times in his letters
b. 27 times in 1 & 2 Thessalonians, it 5 times in our text
2. If we belong to Jesus we are family.
B. We can’t grow as Christians alone. We need family in order to be ready when Jesus comes back.
TS] Remember, in chapter one … model church, which demands a family understanding.
III. To be a model church, to be family – demands responsibility.
A. Consider this story told by Bernard L. Brown, Jr., president of the Kennestone Regional Health Care System in the state of Georgia. Brown once worked in a hospital where a patient knocked over a cup of water, which spilled on the floor beside the patient’s bed. The patient was afraid he might slip on the water if he got out of the bed, so he asked a nurse’s aide to mop it up. The patient didn’t know it, but the hospital policy said that small spills were the responsibility of the nurse’s aides while large spills were to be mopped up by the hospital’s housekeeping group. The nurse’s aide decided the spill was a large one and she called the housekeeping department. A housekeeper arrived and declared the spill a small one. An argument followed. "It’s not my responsibility," said the nurse’s aide, "because it’s a large puddle." The housekeeper did not agree. "Well, it’s not mine," she said, "the puddle is too small." The exasperated patient listened for a time, then took a pitcher of water from his night table and poured the whole thing on the floor. "Is that a big enough puddle now for you two to decide?" he asked. It was, and that was the end of the argument. Bits & Pieces , September 16, 1993, p. 22-24. Found at ChristianGlobe.com
B. For family to function well demands team work.
1. Illu – navigating the river – work together?
TS] Notice family ideas throughout this text as we read: 2 3 4 (Model / Family Church?)
I. 5 Members of the family treat one another like family.
A. Leaders work hard and members of the family recognize it.
1. Leaders here includes all leadership of the church.
2. We are so blessed with our leaders - Elders who love God and His church.
3. Leadership is hard work.
B. Notice the terms – warn, encourage, help be patient, etc.
1. Help each other go to heaven even when its hard! We don’t always like it.
a. In order to avoid criticism, never do anything. Ever.
b. Two taxidermists stopped in front of a window where an owl was on display. They immediately began to criticize the way it was mounted. Its eyes were not natural; its wings were not in proportion with its head; its feathers were not neatly arranged; and its feet could be improved. Just when they had finished with their criticism, the owl turned his head...and blinked. It’s easier to be critical than correct.
2. :Proverbs 13:18, He who ignores discipline comes to poverty and shame, but whoever heeds correction is honored.
C. “Help the weak”
1. Not physically, but spiritually – Literally = “hold on to the weak – don’t let them fall”
2. We all have our weak moments – don’t let each other fall!
3. Like a Cell phone signal. Sometimes we just get too far away from the tower.
TS] Be family to one another, but how?
II. 6 Members of the family are close to the Father.
A. Grow spiritually as an individual.
1. Pray continually, give thanks, be joyful, etc. – Personal Spiritual Growth
2. “Attitude no aptitude determines one’s altitude in life.”
B. Some consider references here to assembly worship.
1. Don’t put out the Spirit’s fire – how?
a. #1; When we have the proper attitude; of patience, kindness, joy, prayer and Thanksgiving these will not only not put out the spirit’s fire – but stoke it up.
b. #2; We also keep the fire going when we listen to God’s word, A part from God’s Word we have no certain revelation from the Lord. Worship that ignores the bible is not spiritual. There may be emotion and even commotion - but unless there is spiritual truth, the Spirit of God is not at work.
2. There were prophets in NT times because there was no writings, and evidently these prophets were sometimes mixed up. Test – Approve.
C. Avoid every kind of evil. (Rich man & Driver)
TS] Model church? How?
III. 7 Members of the family Rely on the Father
A. 1 Thessalonians 5:23, May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1. Sanctify – clean, make ready for use.
IV. 8 Simple – A model church is a family church (brothers) who really love one another and treat each other like family – and who love God.
A. Jesus said it already Matthew 22:37-40, Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
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