1 Thessalonians 5_12-28 pt 1

Sermon Notes

12-13a: Leadership in the Church

13b-15: General Relationship

16-18: Personal

19-21: Prophecy and the Spirit

22-28: Concluding Remarks

Intro

The English author Samuel Johnson wrote that “The chains of habit are too weak to be felt until they are too strong to be broken.” ― Samuel Johnson

What he was conveying was the fact that it takes diligence and effort and discipline to form habits. And those tugs in our life to maintain a habit at first are very weak. But in time, they are so compelling that they are not easily forgotten.

Habits can be good. But they also can be to a person’s detriment. It is important, in fact, to identify the bad habits and replace them with good. This is what the Scriptures speak to as the putting off and putting on principle. We put off lies and put on truth. We put of stealing and put on giving. We put off the former ways of living, and we put on Christ-likeness. It is not always easy to form new habits, but they are evident in the life of one who is disciplined.

John Albert Broadus said “If a man has been the slave of evil habits, and wishes to be permanently free, he must proceed by systematic and presevering effort to establish corresponding good habits.”

This morning’s passage very much speaks to us about habit, a continual or regular practice , that is God’s will for us.

Broadus, J. A. (1887). Sermons and addresses (2nd ed., pp. 45–46). Baltimore: H. M. Wharton & Co.

1 Thess 5:16-18

Body

Before we dive into each of these, remember the context. We are speaking of the characteristics of the church. We looked at the leadership of the church, we looked at our relationship with others and, although, these seem very personal. They inform us on what the church looks like. It reveals to us what the people of God look like. We are a people who rejoice, pray, and give thanks to God. They are all public expressions we do in our assembly.

Rejoice Always:

Now for the Thessalonicans, this would be one that would not be quite easy. Remember this is a persecuted church. This is a church that knew what it meant to face suffering for the sake of the Gospel. And yet, it was a commendable church. A church that stood firm for the truth.

Too often, we think that we are the first people to suffer. But we are not. We can look to the early church. We can read of the early martyrs and we can read of the fortitude that they had. We can be encouraged by their testimony.

We currently live in very uncertain times. You think about just one hour of news programming and you see rumors of wars, you find speculation about hurricanes and storms, we see atrocities committed as children are kidnapped, murder occuring, maybe you feel uneasy with the current presidential administration. We live in times that are constantly changing and the morality of a nation that is in question. Where gender and sexuality is questioned everyday and where the only truth is that truth is not real.

12 Dear friends, don’t be surprised when the fiery ordeal comes among you to test you as if something unusual were happening to you. 13 Instead, rejoice as you share in the sufferings of the Messiah, so that you may also rejoice with great joy at the revelation of His glory.

We rejoice!

Those are external. But then you look internally. You look at the things that are occuring close in your life. Maybe you are having troubles at work. Perhaps you are feeling discouraged or depressed. You lost someone close to you. Or you are struggling and cannot seem to find peace. Maybe you are even being persecuted for your faith. And so, what are you to do?

It may seem insensitive, but Paul would say that there never is an occasion in which we cannot rejoice. Rejoice always. How do we do that?

And this is not the first time Paul says this.

2 Corinthians 6

The Lexham English Bible Chapter 6

3 We are giving no one an occasion for taking offense in anything, in order that our ministry will not have fault found with it, 4 but commending ourselves as servants of God in every way, in much endurance, in afflictions, in distresses, in difficulties, 5 in beatings, in prisons, in disturbances, in troubles, in sleepless nights, in going hungry, 6 in purity, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in love without hypocrisy, 7 in the word of truth, in the power of God, with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and left hand, 8 through glory and dishonor, through slander and good repute, regarded as deceivers and yet truthful, 9 as unknown and yet known completely, as dying, and behold, we go on living, as disciplined, and yet not put to death, 10 as grieving, but always rejoicing, as poor, but making many rich, as having nothing, and possessing everything.

Why?

How is it that Paul can rejoice in all of these situations!?!? Because of Christ.

Do not forget brothers and sisters where your identity lies! It is in Christ. You are a new creation and I tell you this now and forevermore, rejoice always! You have eternity promised to you and that can never be taken away. You the promise of being in the presence of God. You have the promise that God is with you. You have the promise that he will provide for all your needs when you seek Him first, as opposed to seeking those things first. You have the promise that when the Son died on the cross, he truly bore the sins of his sheep and they are declared just in the eyes of God. You have the promise that you no longer will bear the wrath of God. You have the promise of a peace that surpasses all understanding as you abide in the love of Christ in obedience to His word.

You have all this and so the storms will come, and disappointments will come, and trials will come, but through it all you will hold tight to your only delight, God. You will stand strong like the wise man who built his house on the rock. He was the one that Jesus said is the one who hears his words and obeys it. You will hold fast to God’s word. You will receive the discipline from God knowing that it is conforming you into the image of Son. You know this and you can rejoice.

And we feel the pressures of this, and are reminded of

12 Dear friends, don’t be surprised when the fiery ordeal comes among you to test you as if something unusual were happening to you. 13 Instead, rejoice as you share in the sufferings of the Messiah, so that you may also rejoice with great joy at the revelation of His glory.

We rejoice!

But not only do we rejoice, we pray.

2. Pray Constantly

We pray that God’s will be done. We pray for His kingdom to grow. We pray for the church. We pray. We go to God! Not in defiance, but in worship. We go to God with a posture of worship knowing He hears us! How can we offer such little prayers. I bet you everything that I own that if you approached the one person that you admired, whether it be the President or some musician or a soccer player, not one of you would fall asleep on them while talking to them. But how often do we fall asleep on the God of everything! The God who we call upon for help.

Prayer is not just talking to ourselves or sending our words to the cieling. We are speaking to the one true God of the universe who created all tings, sustains all things, and calls all things to bring Him glory. We are speaking to God pleading that His will be done, not our own agendas. Knowing all that, how can we offer little weak prayers. No we wrestle…without…ceasing.

If you are praying for your child to come back wrestle for them. If you are praying for

Well how do we do that? No one can do that. We all sleep. Every one of us. So we ask Paul, are you giving us another impossible task? We pray without ceasing. I have to sleep. And yet, like the one before there is a continuance about it. Rejoice always…that is a continuing action. Pray without ceasing....again a continuing action.

We are reminded of Eph 6:18 “with all prayer and supplication praying at all times in the Spirit, and to this end being alert with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints”

adialeiptos- without ceasing. It does not convey a 60 min an hour, 24 hour a day 7 day a week idea of praying. It is that we have a consistent and regular habit. It literally means, without lapses.

Harris, W. H., III, Ritzema, E., Brannan, R., Mangum, D., Dunham, J., Reimer, J. A., & Wierenga, M. (Eds.). (2012). The Lexham English Bible (). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

Conclusion

1 Thessalonians through Philemon b. Pray Regularly (v. 17)

The same word has been used in 1:3 and 2:13; see the comments there. If v. 17 meant praying all day, every day, around the clock, then 2:13 would mean that Paul gave thanks all day, every day, around the clock for the Thessalonians’ response to his ministry there, thus leaving him no time to pray or express thanks for anything else.

Paul’s own prayer life (as in 1:3) should serve as a good example for us.

But prayer is not just about asking God for things, for we are reminded of the previous verse of rejoicing. Thanking God for his provision and goodness and love. Your consistency in prayer will also reflect a consistency in righteousness and your approach to relationships as you understand you are in God’s presence!

Oh how we are an impoverished people. We may have packed services, but our prayer services are the least attended. Why is that? Have we forgotten that when we pray, we are speaking directly to the one true God. That as we speak, He truly listens and hears us. Many want revival, but truly an awakening must first happen in our own hearts as we draw near to God in worship…in prayer.

3. Give Thanks in Everything

Again we read of a continual activity. We give thanks…in what? Everything! Why? Because that is God’s will for you. So this one bears weight. It carries with it the knowledge that God wills all of his people to give thanks in all things. And again we wonder, how!

You will now notice that each and every one of these principles are doing one thing. They are focusing us in on our deficiencies and making us rely on God. To look to God. To trust in God. Isn’t God’s word amazing! We are brought to God by God for God!

We do not just give thanks to God for every successful or happy occasion. But in everything. Why? . We know that all things work together for good. God is sovereign and in control. We can trust Him at His word, and that it will be good. Even if we do not perceive it to be good. God knows better. Think of Joseph. Think of Christ on the cross. Think of Paul and his thorn.

But notice that Paul does not say that we give thanks for evil things. We do not go to funerals of wicked people and thank God for eliminating them. The context is more that we thank God even in the midst of evil times and circumstances for our hope remains. God is working and we know that it is for good.

And so brothers and sisters, where is our rejoicing? Where is our deep and tearful prayers? Where is our thanks?

If you truly know the goodness of God in your life, what other desire can their be. I illustrate it like this: Imagine you are driving down the road and you see a building on fire. You cannot help but watch and as you are driving, you bump into the car in front of you. How many of you would ignore what just happened and continue to watch the fire? Now let’s add a few details to the scenario. The building is your house and you know your children are in the building. Now what has your attention? Let’s add to the bleak scenario, the car you bumped is an ambulance and your family is in it on life support and you know it. Are you now focused on the building still? No, your attention moves to what is most important.

When you approach God, are you captivated by Him? Or is your heart drawn to little things which are so insignificant in this life. Knowing how much God has saved you, are we so easily distracted by the things of this world, we forget the goodness of God. We desire a lot of things, but the character of the people of God, the character of His church, rejoices and prays and gives thanks with a solitary affection to God.

Let’s be that people.

But I know some of you are hurting. And it seems like you cannot look away from your troubles. And so it would be callous for me to press you down. I want to encourage you this morning if that is you. I want to remind you of the Gospel that saved you from your biggest problem, sin which leads to death. But I also want to comfort you. God knows what you are going through. He has not forgotten you. And He will sustain you. Trust in Him. You may be in a season of trials. God is with you. He is doing a good work. Trust Him. Ad the author of Hebrews said, “Now all discipline seems for the moment not to be joyful but painful, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness for those who are trained by it.”

Or as James, the brother of Jesus wrote, “2 Consider it all joy, my brothers, whenever you encounter various trials, 3 because you* know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its perfect effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing.”

If you cannot see the goodness in it, pray.

“5 Now if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask for it from God, who gives to all without reservation and not reproaching, and it will be given to him.”

But also, speak with an elder in the church about it. Allow them to pray with you, allow them to minister into your life. And let God’s church do what we are called to do.

“comfort the discouraged, help the weak, be patient with everyone.”

Conclusion

Harris, W. H., III, Ritzema, E., Brannan, R., Mangum, D., Dunham, J., Reimer, J. A., & Wierenga, M. (Eds.). (2012). The Lexham English Bible (). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

Conclusion

Let’s end with the perfect Word of God.

The Lexham English Bible Chapter 12

9 Love must be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; be attached to what is good, 10 being devoted to one another in brotherly love, esteeming one another more highly in honor, 11 not lagging in diligence, being enthusiastic in spirit, serving the Lord, 12 rejoicing in hope, enduring in affliction, being devoted to prayer, 13 contributing to the needs of the saints, pursuing hospitality.

14 Bless those who persecute, bless and do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep. 16 Think the same thing toward one another; ⌊do not think arrogantly⌋, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise ⌊in your own sight⌋. 17 Pay back no one evil for evil. Take thought for what is good in the sight of all people. 18 If it is possible on your part, be at peace with all people. 19 Do not take revenge yourselves, dear friends, but give place to God’s wrath, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 But “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by* doing this, you will heap up coals of fire upon his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.