Untitled Sermon (11)

12 We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you,

13 and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work.

Be at peace among yourselves.

14 And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.

15 See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone.

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

19 Do not quench the Spirit.

20 Do not despise prophecies, 21 but test everything; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil.

23 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. 24 He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.

25 Brothers, pray for us.

26 Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss.

27 I put you under oath before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers.

28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Marks of a Healthy Church Family

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Bible Passage: 1 Thessalonians 5:12–28

Summary: In this passage, the Apostle Paul provides practical instructions and encouragement for the church in Thessalonica, emphasizing how members should relate to one another, their leaders, and to God, which collectively fosters a healthy church family.

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Application: This sermon will help Christians understand the importance of mutual respect, encouragement, and accountability within the church community. By embracing these principles, congregants will experience growth in their relationships with one another and deepen their commitment to the mission of the church.

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Teaching: Paul teaches that a healthy church family is characterized by respect for leaders, encouragement among members, a spirit of unity, and vigilance in faith. He emphasizes the necessity of prayer, gratitude, and a commitment to spiritual growth to cultivate such an environment.

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How this passage could point to Christ: In this passage, Christ is seen as the ultimate source of peace and the one who empowers believers to live in harmony and holiness. The exhortations to community living reflect the body of Christ being built up in love and devotion to Him, which echoes throughout the New Testament.

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Big Idea: A healthy church family thrives through mutual respect, encouragement, and dependence on Christ, leading to a vibrant community of faith.

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1. Respects one another in unity

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1 Thessalonians 5:12-15

12 We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you,

13 and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work.

Be at peace among yourselves.

14 And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.

15 See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone.

You could explore how Paul instructs believers to acknowledge and respect those who work hard among them, especially their leaders. This acknowledgment is foundational in fostering a community of respect.

Perhaps discuss how respecting each other strengthens the unity and witness of the church family.

Highlight the Christological aspect by showing how Christ respected and uplifted those around Him, encouraging us to emulate Him.

In v12, Paul refers to the leaders in the Thessalonian Church. Those who labour and are over them in the Lord.

The Greek verb translated “over you” means to lead, protect and care for.

Leading and Caring go hand in hand.

Leaders lead because the Lord has called them to.

We live in a world which is increasingly skeptical of authority figures. Perhaps this is partly because we have seen leaders and authority figures fall.

Paul specifies that we are to respect those who labour among us, and are over us in the Lord, and admonish us… Admonish.

The word admonish can mean warn. It can also mean instruct.

Sometimes leadership requires admonishing and instructing others.

Nobody likes or even wants to do this.

But if the admonishment is to bring us back to God,

Perhaps, you could focus on the importance of respecting those who lead and labor among us. Respect fosters fellowship within the church, strengthening interpersonal bonds and providing a glimpse of Christ’s humility.

As believers, respecting the labor of leaders prepares us to honor Christ’s ultimate leadership.

Emphasizing respect builds unity and aligns us with the mindset of eternity, where we will dwell in perfect unity with Christ.

In short, Paul is calling for proper recognition and appreciation of “those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you.

These verses end with the imperative to be at peace amongst yourselves

You might explore how Paul’s call to encourage the timid and help the weak encourages us to embody Christ’s compassion. This active faith equips us for eternal living by reflecting the selfless sacrifice of Jesus, fostering a supportive church environment. Addressing practical ways to build each other up, believers can mirror the grace and sacrifice of Christ, turning daily interactions into reflections of His eternal love and preparing our hearts for His return.

Notice that Paul calls the entire church, not just the leaders, to take responsibility for care and encouragement.

Paul lays the responsibility for the whole community on the community itself; each member, and not the leaders alone, must be aware of his or her responsibility for others and seek to help them. At no stage can the ordinary member lean back and say, “This is the task of the ministry alone.” Paul knows nothing of an inert mass, the congregation, on which the ministry operates

‌Why is patience required here?

Because admonishing the idle encouraging the fainthearted, helping the weak, often requires patience.

if we are to be genuinely patient with others,

we must renounce the tyranny of our own agendas.… The idea that we should not have to wait on anything or anyone is merely another form of self-centeredness. Patience … values other people enough to give them room and time to fail, learn, and develop … to mature at their own rate rather than expect them to do everything right and to do it now.32

2. Rejoices, Prays & Gives Thanks together

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Remember that Paul is writing to the Thessalonians Church as a whole.

And he uses plural verbs here for Rejoice, Pray and Give Thanks.

He calls the church to rejoice always as a community

He calls the church to pray without ceasing as a community

He calls the church to give thanks in all circumstances as a community.

Adialeiptōs (GK 90, “continually”; cf. Ro 1:9; 1 Th 1:2–3; 2:13) does not literally mean formal, nonstop praying.

Instead, it means constantly recurring prayer from constant dependence on God. Whether words are said or not, lifting the heart to God while occupied with our day’s work or chores is the key.

Verbalized prayer will be spontaneous and will punctuate one’s daily schedule, as it does Paul’s writings

What’s the implication here?

There will be times we come to service, and we just don’t feel like worshipping.

You’re going through a tough time, and you cannot find it in you to rejoice, to pray to give thanks.

That’s okay.

Because there are others in the community that are able to.

The rest can truly rejoice, pray and give thanks.

There will be other times when you are able to rejoice, to pray, to give thanks.

Then there may be others who are going through a tough time, and cannot do so.

There are times when a community of believers can do what an individual cannot do, and in this way minister to that individual.

I remember a worship service I attended with my small group. I was still grieving over the passing of my grandmother. I found myself struggling to rejoice or give thanks, and hardly able to pray.

But as I listened to my small group mates pray, give thanks, and rejoice in God’s grace and goodness, their words broke through my sorrow.

I felt carried along by their praise, thanksgiving, and prayers.

As they did what I was unable to do alone, my friends became for me tangible evidence of God’s presence

This is why a healthy church gathers to worship together, and to pray together in prayer meetings. We can & should worship and pray in our private moments, but that’s not sufficient.

Because there will be times when we don’t feel like worshipping.

There will be times we don’t feel like praying.

There will be times we don’t feel like giving thanks.

We need each other. We need to rejoice, pray and give thanks together.

A healthy church wants to rejoice, pray and give thanks together.

Giving thanks (5:18) is another common command or theme (cf. Rom. 14:6; 1 Cor. 14:16; 2 Cor. 1:11; 4:15; 9:11; Eph. 5:4, 20; Phil. 4:6; Col. 2:7; 3:17). Like the command to rejoice, it is deeply rooted in Paul’s understanding about God: In any and all circumstances, God was at work on behalf of his people (Rom. 8:28).

Therefore, Paul could urge the Thessalonians to “give thanks in all circumstances” (1 Thess. 5:18). This was so even if the circumstances involved the death of a believer because, even though death was an awful reality, it was not the last word or act (cf. Rom. 8:31–39). The last word or act belongs to God, and it is resurrection and life. Thus for Paul, both rejoicing and giving thanks become forms of worship or praise of God.

In 5:18, for example, Paul does not say to give thanks for all circumstances, but in all circumstances.

Similarly, 5:16 is not a command to individual believers to “be joyful always”;

as Stott observes, joy is not something that can be turned on and off like a tap.21 Moreover, such a command contradicts what Paul urges in Romans 12:15 (“mourn with those who mourn”).

Rather “to rejoice always is to see the hand of God in whatever is happening and to remain certain of God’s future salvation.”22

Paul has in mind “a stable and deep-rooted joy which enables him”—but even more so a congregation—“to cope with disappointments and see them in their true perspective.”23

And that true perspective is rooted in the conviction that in any and all circumstances, God is at work on behalf of his people—reason enough to give thanks and rejoice and thereby fulfill God’s will for us (v. 18).

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3. Remains open to the Holy Spirit/ Remains Spiritually Vigilant

1 Thessalonians 5:19-22

19 Do not quench the Spirit.

20 Do not despise prophecies, 21 but test everything; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil.

Following Jesus involves holding many tensions.

Tension in proper degree is good.

A guitar string, when tuned to proper tension, can produce beautiful sound.

Too little tension, the string will go “diao…”

Too much tension, the string will burst.

The gifts of the Spirit are an instance where we have to hold healthy tension.

Paul specifically highlights prophecy.

The tension is this.

On one hand, prophecy, because of its very spiritual nature, can be subject to potential abuse. When someone says, “The Lord told me..”, it’s challenging to challenge something like that.. Which is why I’m very careful about saying “the Lord told me something..”. Most often I can get a prompting or sensing.

On the other hand, the solution is not to throw the baby out with the bathwater.

The solution, as Paul says in v21, is “test everything”.

The gifts of the Spirit can be abused.

But the solution is not to suppress them.

Just like we know how the internet can be abused. We can get addicted, we can get scammed. But we know the solution is not to despise the internet or smartphones. The solution is to test everything. Discernment.

So it is with the things of the Spirit. Do not despise, but discern the gifts of the Spirit, including prophecy.

We need to understand the difference between Old Testament prophecies and New Testament prophecies.

In the Old Testament, prior to Pentecost, God’s prophets were THE authoritative voice of God’s Word. Those who heard the prophets were to receive and obey the Lord.

In the New Testament, after Pentecost, both prophets and hearers are equally authoritative.

Why? Because we have the same Holy Spirit dwelling in us.

We have equal access to God through Christ.

This is why we CAN discern prophecies.

And thus we must discern prophecies. Not despise them.

Like any other spiritual gift, Prophecies can be mis-used.

But the solution is not to despise them, but to discern them.

Scripture never tells us to throw away prophecies, but to test them.

Prophecy should be received openly, but discerned carefully.

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So how do we test prophecies?

Here are some filters to discern prophecy (whether you’re the messenger or the hearer)

Does it align with Scripture?

Does it build up? (May not sound encouraging at first)

Does it encourage?

Does it console?

If you think you may have received a word from God, but you’re unsure,

consult someone you trust and who is spiritually mature.

chew over it for one day, and see if that prompting is still there.

What you should not do is dismiss any impression or Scripture that may come to your mind for someone.

Because you never know how God can use a prophetic to bless someone.

Once a prophecy has been “tested,” the next step is clear: Hold on firmly to those that are good, and have nothing to do with those that are not (5:21b–22

Consider examining how Paul’s warning not to quench the Spirit challenges us to remain receptive to God’s guiding voice.

This receptiveness draws us closer to an eternity with Christ, honing our discernment between right and wrong and fostering closer communion with God. By being open to the Spirit, we are better equipped to fulfill our purpose in God’s grand design, living in a way that honors and anticipates our eternal future with Him.

A healthy Church

‌4. Relies on God’s Faithfulness

1 Thessalonians 5:23-28

23 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.

24 He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.

25 Brothers, pray for us.

26 Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss.

27 I put you under oath before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers.

28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Suggest reflecting on Paul's prayer for sanctification, emphasizing God's faithfulness to complete His work in believers. Highlight how this aligns with Christ's redeeming work and His call for a holy community. Encourage the congregation to support each other's spiritual growth, reflecting Christ's love and patience, enhancing the church's family dynamic.

What/Who do we rely on when moving into an uncertain future?

The Thessalonians must have faced much uncertainty.

The Roman government was persecuting Christians.

You never knew what was going to happen next.

Paul’s encouragement to them: He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.

Rely on God’s faithfulness.

Important to remember Who God is, and what He has done

We don’t rely on past experience.

We don’t rely on past SOPs.

We rely on God’s faithfulness.

How we respond to uncertainty, impacts how we will grow as disciples.

It could be beneficial to conclude with the blessing of sanctification, reminding us of Christ’s work in making us whole for His return. This assurance comforts believers in struggles, affirming that God is faithful to complete His work. Reflecting on our sanctification aligns our lives with the eternal promise, inspiring confidence in Christ’s power to sustain us. It assures the church of God's unwavering commitment to presenting us blameless before Himself.

‌In the phrase “the one who calls” (which picks up a theme running throughout the letter; cf. 1:4; 2:12; 4:7), “the present tense … stresses that God does not merely call Christians once and then leave them on their own. Instead God continues to call the followers of Christ to salvation.

How can Paul (and we) be so utterly confident that “the one who calls [us] is faithful and he will do it” (5:24)?

We are confident that in the future God will do for us what he has promised because of the faithfulness to his promises that he has already demonstrated in the past. It is on the basis of these foundational facts about God that we are able, no matter how difficult our circumstances, to encourage and comfort one another in the present as we look forward to the future with confident hope. Remembering what God has done in the past—not as dead history but as the living and ongoing narrative of a faithful and powerful God in his relationship with his people—provides the basis for life in the present and hope for the future

How do we rely on God’s faithfulness?

One way is prayer.

Right after affirming God’s faithfulness, what does Paul say?

He says in v25, “brothers, pray for us”.

Paul knows that he is in as much need of prayer as anyone else.

Is our first instinct to ideate, strategise, and plan or is it to intercede, seek and pray?