The Responsiblity of the Church

Paul transitions from his encouragement to recognize those who labor among them and the importance of respecting those leaders; to an exhortation of the responsiblity of the church.

Whose responsibility is it to warn those who are unruly? To comfort the weak and the fainthearted? To pursue peace and goodness for all? Its the pastors responsibility right? and all the leaders, too? I mean we recognize them as a pastor and we respect them, they are the ones who should have all the responsibility. Pastor that one is unruly, please go talk to them. That one is sick, hurting, and weak you go visit them. We just can’t get along, Pastor please go deal with that other person. Sure the pastor has and takes on that role, but the Word of God tonight says its not solely his responsibilty, but all of our responsibility.

Note with me again the phrase we urge you - this conveys the same thought as in verse 12, but signals a transition from the church and the individual’s believers responsibility to those who labor among as leaders to their responsibility to all other believers.

Brethren - could be translated brothers and sisters. Its not just leaders, pastors, laborers - this encouragement will include all believers. The word brethren is inclusive and also a reminder that you are brothers and sisters in Christ.

Warn those who are unruly - Lets unpack this phrase. Warn is admonish. I would direct you back to this mornings message from colossians 3. If you have the peace of God ruling in your heart and the word of christ dwelling in you richly you will know who is unruly and have the wisdom to deal with them in a Christlike manner. This word admonish means to set right and to have correct ive influence on another.

Unruly here deals with 2 things - those who were idle in walk with the Lord and their work. Some scholars focus on just the idleness, saying these are individuals who weren’t working in the world or in the church, they were just waiting for the return of the Lord. You could say in our day in age the took the phrase, Let Go and Let God to the extreme. Literally doing nothing worthwhile for the Lord. There is also those who only stress the unruly aspect of this text. that anyone who disagrees with the pastor, the leaders, and the church must be insubordinate and dealt with immediately. I believe there is a solid mix of both those truths here. Certainly there where those who were idle and doing nothing for the church, the cause of Christ, and simply not working at all. because Paul writes about that in 2 Thess. but there is also this truth that the word here and the context convey more than just simply being a slacker. The word means to be disorderly, living an undisciplined life in secular realm as well as the spiritual. All of this to say this evening that it is our collective responsibility to admonish those who are disorderly and undisciplined in a manner that pursues the good of all.

Comfort the fainthearted and uphold the weak - Paul has consistently encouraged the believers at Thessalonian to be comforted and comfort one another. He carries that truth into almost all of his letters and it is an important truth we need to implement as our responsibility to our fellow brethren. Most believe the fainthearted here deals with those who have lost loved ones, as the context of his letter addresses their concerns in great detail. I agree with that conclusion because you and I know full well how disheartening the loss of loved one can be. This word is that carries the thought of shortness of breath and a seemingly hopelessness. I’ve been there and maybe you have too. Your chest is tight, your heart is heavy from the inside out and though you know and understand the truth of God’s Word in dealing with the death of a loved one or other difficulties situations you just seem like you are going to faint or to the point when you want to give up. That is exactly the time we need to comforted by God and by our brethren. We know comfort comes from God and as we are comforted so too we comfort one another (). These people did not need to be admonished but persuaded not to give up.

Uphold the weak - Paul is also very consistent in the role that faithful brothers and sisters in Christ play in regards to upholding the weak. We dealt with this subject in our study of and the overarching truth there and here is that those who are strong, strengthen the weak - not destroy them. We are to have more of a concern for the interest of others than our own. These weak ones could be weaker in the faith or in their walk with God, but regardless of the definition of the weak, the brethren were called and encouraged to respond by helping, taking an interest in them, and remaining loyal to them for they are in need of support and lifting up.

Be patient with all - This theme too is one that has come up consistently in our study as of late and I am certain that God wants to get my attention with this truth, maybe he wants to get yours too. Think of how our church would be drastically transformed by heeding just this simple call. Be patient with all. This truth is important for it is the manifestation of fruit of the Spirit in a believers life and in the churches - (; and see ; ; ; )

Are you willing to warn those who are unruly? Its your responsiblity as much as mine...

Who is someone that is about to give up, faint hearted, or weak? Write down their name; comfort them and uphold them this week.

Be patient will all, is that said of you? He or she is patient with all...

The New King James Version Chapter 5

14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all.