The Lost Practice of Prayer

1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 NASB95

Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

1. INTRODUCTION

a. Today’s text is a phrase that many people, whether Christian or not, say and believe in. Not only is it taught in many religions but even psychology has adopted its principles. Positive psychology, a recent movement in the practice of gratitude, was founded in 1998 when Martin Seligman chose it as the theme for his term as president of the American Psychological Association. Positive psychology advocates the practice of gratitude, espousing the “belief that people want to lead meaningful and fulfilling lives, to cultivate what is best within themselves and to enhance their experiences of love, work and play.”

b. Harvard Health tells us how to maintain a thankful life. Out of the list of things we can do, prayer is found on their list. When we read things like this, we are reminded that prayer is not just a Christian idea. Every religion has some form of prayer or meditation.

c. But in this section of Scripture, Paul tells us not only the importance of prayer but more importantly, how we can live thankful lives. Paul gives us two ways we can live thankful lives. First, he tells us that rejoicing grows through prayer. Secondly, praying abounds in Thanksgiving.

d. Paul starts the section in verse 12-13 by telling the church how the church should respect and treat their leaders, but also on how every member should treat each other. The reminder that Paul gives to the church is helpful because it tells us that we should appreciate those who are laboring among us. There are so many people in our church that are serving and helping the church to grow.

e. In light of recent events, I was so thankful for the church in how people care for me and protect me. Paul then finalizes verse 13 by telling the church to live in peace with one another.

f. Then in verse 14, Paul tells the leaders to warn, encourage and help the people in the church. Paul gives instructions to leaders on how they are to continue to diligently labor over the church. This verse gives us the recipe on how the church should minister to each other but Paul also gives us the manner in which we are to do that.

g. Paul completes verse 14 by telling leader be patient with everyone. If leaders are to minister in the church, it must be done in patience. Paul helps us to recognize how the church should function and grow.

h. We should appreciate each other and try to live in peace with each other. This doesn’t mean that we will agree on everything. What it does mean though is, that we respect each other and try to listen to one another.

i. Then in verse 15, tells us that nobody should repay evil for evil but rather always seek after what is good for one another. If we disagree with each other, instead of taking out my anger on people, we should seek to listen and do what is best for each other.

j. Now you maybe thinking, we know this stuff. We know this is how we should act in church. But in the next section, Paul tells us how we be can behave this way. Although we might know this intellectually, do we actively practice this? Paul tells us how we can act like this manner and live in this manner.

2. BODY

a. Rejoicing grows through Prayer (5:16)

i. Paul starts verse 16 by telling us to rejoice always. When we read in Pauline literature, Romans 14:17, 15:13 and Galatians 5:22 all speak of joy directly linked with peace. Thus, we can see that when Paul writes rejoice always, just as he wrote in verse 13, how are we to rejoice always? We must be at peace with everyone but also, we must be at peace with ourselves.

ii. Notice the context of these verses. It is how we are as a church to minister to each other. Paul reminds us how we should respect our leaders and respect them in love because of their work. He concludes verse 13 by telling his listeners, live in peace with one another. What does it mean to live in peace with another? Verse 15, don’t repay someone with evil, but rather, seek to do good to them. This idea might not mean much but if understood properly, it means a lot. This goes back to 1 Thessalonians 1:6, where Paul talks about how they received the word in much tribulation with joy in the Holy Spirit. Paul is reminding his listeners that they received a lot of trials and persecution for their receiving of God’s word. When we think of this context, some of the listeners might have wanted to revenge for what these people did to them because of their receiving of God’s word. But Paul tells them, don’t repay evil for evil. Even if they have persecuted you, and have hurt you, don’t repay them back. Rather, seek after which is good for one another and all people. Notice, Paul’s instruction here isn’t, be nice to only Christians. No, do good for everyone, even those who persecute you. This is the same as Jesus’s teaching in the sermon on the mount in Matt 5:11-12, to rejoice and be glad to those who persecute you.

iii. So when Paul writes rejoice always, the means in which we can rejoice always it’s speaking directly to when other people do evil things to us. Even when people don’t treat us with the respect we desire, Paul admonishes us and encourages us to rejoice always.

iv. You might ask, how can we do that? Paul tells us in verse 17.

b. Praying abounds in Thanksgiving (5:17-18)

i. Verse 17 Paul tells us pray without ceasing. We all know of the importance of praying but Paul tells us specifically here that the only way to be able to rejoice always is to pray without ceasing. What is the importance of prayer? Prayer is tied to the victory we have received through the Lord Jesus Christ.

ii. If you have ever prayed, thanksgiving is a natural response to prayer. Whether we pray to God thanking Him for what He’s done through the person and work of Christ, or we pray to Him because of our concerns and problems, the heart of prayer is thankfulness. We are thankful because we have received everything in Christ but also, we are thankful because He listens to us.

iii. Therefore, Paul’s reminder to us is pray without ceasing. If we struggle to rejoice, it’s because we are not thankful and we are not praying. But if we are to pray, we will learn how to be thankful and learn how to rejoice.

iv. But Paul doesn’t end it there. Paul tells us in verse 18, in everything give thanks. Why should we give thanks? This is God’s will for us in Christ Jesus.

v. How is giving thanks God’s will? Romans 5:3-5 teaches us that even in our difficulties and trials, God is teaching us valuable lessons. This idea that God is sovereign and providential teaches us that there is nothing that happens without God being in control of these things. This is why Paul tells us, give thanks in all circumstances. He reminds us that His goodness is over all our circumstances and we are to be thankful because He is good through everything.

vi. But Paul tells us the most important aspect of God’s will for us. It is that God’s will for us is in Christ Jesus. The reality of this statement lies in the fact that God’s will is made known in Christ. What was God’s will in Christ? That man who was dead, might come to saving knowledge and saving faith in Christ. This is the reason why we are to rejoice always and pray continually and give thanks in everything. Why? Because we recognize who the person of the Lord Jesus Christ is and we know what work He has done for us.

vii. A lot of other religions will tell us the same thing. That we are to always be thankful and always give thanks, but the difference in our message is the reason. We don’t give thanks or pray or rejoice because it makes us feel better about ourselves. If anything, biblical Christianity tells us the opposite. It tells us how bad we are but at the same time, how good God is. This is why we pray. We pray so that we can learn more about God but also learn more about ourselves. It reminds us of our need to depend on Him and our need of Him.

viii. I want to encourage everyone and not rebuke people for their prayer lives. If we are all honest, we don’t pray as much as we should and we should pray more. But it’s not good enough to be honest. We must choose to pray more. Prayer is a choice we make. We can choose to pray or we can choose not to pray. We must learn to choose to pray. Why? Because through prayer, we become thankful and through prayer it allows us to rejoice.

3. CONCLUSION