A Request to Recognize those who Labor Among You

A Request to Recognize those who Labor Among You

Request: And now we urge you - (cf. 4:1): Paul transitions from his teaching and instructions on the coming of the Lord and the day of Lord to some gentle suggestion on how to relate to and to recognize those who labor among them.

Note with me first that

this urgency is one of a brotherly like or as a big-brother giving instruction.

This is not a command or a correction of something they have erred in, but an Request to recognize and respect those who are over them in the Lord.

Lets unpack these truths to gain some clear instruction. We have noted the heart behind this phrase “and now we urge you” as one of a big-brother speaking truth into a younger sibling. He cares for his little brother and wants to instruct him the ways of the Lord for the benefit of him who hears and the one whom he will be interacting with. And in this case it those who are over them. Lets look at this word recognize.

Recognize: This word is literally to know. By it self it means to identify and to take note of. This is interesting in 3 forms.

Its a given that a Leader should know those whom he is leading and that is often stressed in secular leadership courses and in leadership through serving the Lord. The thought is that those who know their people best will lead the best, which has truth to it. But here the Word of God is encouraging those who are with the leader and under the leader to know him. Paul is requesting of these believers to know in a real way those who are working, serving, and leading them. I think this a blessed request, because most people in the church know who the pastor or leader is, most simply respect him because he is a pastor or the leader, but do they really know him. You see I personally believe that if those under the authority of leader in the church would take time to get know him they would understand his labor, they would learn from him and most importantly they would know his his Lord. How do we recognize them?

Know them -

First these who labor and our over the believers in Thessalonica are to identified and known by the individuals to whom they labor with and for.

Know that they Labor -

First these who labor and our over the believers in Thessalonica are to identified and known by the individuals to whom they labor with and for.

Know that they Instruct and you Learn -

Know them - First these who labor and our over the believers in Thessalonica are to identified and known by the individuals to whom they labor with and for.

First these who labor and our over the believers in Thessalonica are to identified and known by the individuals to whom they labor with and for.

Know that they Labor - There is a misnomer in the church today the pastor only works one day a week. Or that when I call he didn’t answer, so he must be slacking off. Or he wasn’t in the office, so he must be at the golf course. When in most times and in most cases the Pastor is probably laboring among you. The call to full time ministry is just that. its the willingness to set aside everything else and serve the Lord in the full time campacity. Not only are they to know the worker, they are to know the work.

Know that they Instruct and you Learn - admonish means to warn, to instruct, and to counsel. The brethren here are reminded to know the leader, to know the Labor, and to know that Learn from him. For me personally that is what keeps up at night. This truth is the one that causes me to stay and extra hour or two in the study. This is the word of God that causes me to fall to my knees in prayer and makes my knees shake every time I step in the pulpit, the classroom, or in a counseling situation. As your Pastor and Leader I take this role very seriously and humbly. Seriously in the fact that this is the very word of God. humbly in the truth that I don’t have, nor will probably have the answer to every question, but I know where to go and how to find them. My prayer is that you would learn truth from the Scriptures that changes you here on this earth and for eternity.

Paul makes the suggestion to these believers and to you recognize, know those whom the Lord has placed over you and you will respect them in a way that is pleasing to the Lord. Which transitions us to a third word in our study this evening esteem.

Reckon - This word esteem means to consider, to deem or to reckon.

I am choosing Reckon, because it fits with the other points bibilcally and starts with the letter “R” to nicely fit in my outline. but deeper than that it helps to clarify this wording of “to esteem very highly”.

Paul says “may I suggest that you abundantly (highly), consider (to esteem), unconditionally loving (love agape), those who work for the Lord.”

Reckon, count is as true that those who Labor among you do so for the Lord.

Remain at peace among yourselves

This word Reckon means to consider it true or count it as true. The Word of God is stating that those who are laboring among you, over you, and instructing you should be considered worthy. Worthy of the work they have been called to by God and most importantly in the context of this passage worthy of your love. You see the construction of verse 13 in is the simple biblical truth of love. And Paul melts that truth of love with leaders.

“I don’t have to like my pastor, but I am commanded to love him” Jim Miller. I believe that summarizes fairly well this passage in Those who labor among you, are over you, and admonish you in the Lord are there for a popularity contest. They are not serving themselves. They are not pushing their own agenda. They are not preaching their own ideas. Paul as many Pastors often defends and defines his ministry to the extent that he says you know me, you know my teaching, you know Iabor not in vain or selflessly, but in the Lord. That’s the key here, 3 little but powerful words in the Lord. Reckon, count is as true that those who Labor among you do so for the Lord.

Finally there is this request to remain at peace among yourselves. this final phrase serves as a transition to the next set of requests as the Word of God instructs on those who weaker in the faith, unruly, idle, and fainthearted. All I will simply say from a leadership perspective is that one of the most difficult and disheartening things that happens in the church is when there is a contentious spirit among yourselves. Keep the peace among yourselves. Yes it hurts when the pastor or leader is not recognized or esteemed, but it the hurt runs deep and wide when there is little peace among the congregation.

How then can these truths effectively work in your life?

Do you know (really know them) those who are over you in the Lord? Recognize them and Reckon them worthy of your love by knowing them, their work and their worth in the Lord.

Do you know that the labor in the Lord? Listen, Learn, and love them

Peace with God brings peace with one another and the peace of God promotes harmony in which we bring praises to god.