Family Giving

In our family we do individual gifts, BUT the ones we really love are those family gifts!

A game that we spend hours talking and laughing

A movie we enjoy together for family movie nights

A gift that gets us outside doing an activity together

Or a gift to go someplace and create memories

The individual gifts given or received do bring joy, but the family gifts given bring memories created in life, they bring our family closer, all of us get to enjoy the gift together!

In our passage today Paul is talking about some gifts that we can give as a church family. See if you can spot them as we read this together... 1 Thessalonians 5:12-15

This morning I would like us to unwrap this passage and look at the gifts discussed here by Paul.

None of the gifts that he list out are trivial or useless

Each one is essential for healthy relationships in the family of God and is just what our church needs today. He starts with:

Family Gifts Requested

Healthy families have structure and order…

Scripture states the relationship with Husband & wife, parents & children, older & younger…

The church family has order as well, and there are those who lead in the family of God… we read about overseer's earlier...

As Paul addresses what should be given here notice his tone

This is not a demand / No dictatorship is occurring

There is the idea of Leading/Influencing

Diligently labor (action/hard working)

In Acts 20 Paul had a whole sermon just for the elders to hear and adhere to

Give you instruction “in the Lord” (biblical teaching and instruction)

Ephesians 4 states their role is to “equip the saints for the work of service to build up the body of Christ (the Family of God)”

Charge over you… lead and influence (Shepherd)

Paul request of the people to appreciate and esteem their leaders

I find it interesting that Paul “DEMANDS” something at the end of this letter… 1 Thessalonians 5:27 NASB and NLT...

1 Thessalonians 5:27 NLT

I command you in the name of the Lord to read this letter to all the brothers and sisters.

As one of the elders/leaders verses like this are sometimes difficult. Yet, I am commited to teach the whole word of God...

Acknowledge what they do / show them honor and respect

This is not careless honor but given “for their work” verse 13

As they follow the Lord... we must follow them

The appreciation and esteem is to be out of love

Wiersbe makes an observation concerning the love element for the leaders: As brothers, the leaders are “among us”; and as leaders, they are “over us in the Lord.” This could be a very strained relationship apart from true Christian love. For a pastor to be “among” and “over” at the same time demands grace and the power of the Spirit. If he gets out of balance, his ministry will be weakened and possibly destroyed.

It is for this reason I appreciate so much the plurality of elders in our church… men who hold one another accountable.

Paul here also REQUEST the people to “live in peace” with ONE ANOTHER!

LIVE… this is a lifestyle / a coexisting together not just getting together

Unity among brothers and sisters who leaders and who are lead...

Paul wanted to see unity especially with the outside pressures they were under

Family peace can occur… Romans 12:10-13;18

As Paul unwraps the remaining gifts to be given to each other it goes from a request to more of an urgent need for the church to give these family gifts:

Family Gifts Needed

Paul gives us 5 gifts to give the family!

1. Admonish the unruly! (LAZINESS / IDLE) addressed greater in 2 Thessalonians

This is an odd thing to be considered a gift but consider this

God is a God of order

There is order in His family (we all have a part)

Rules and standards create this order otherwise there is chaos in the family

Address this at all levels, deal with things when they are small and it prevents major issues!

“idle hands are the Devil’s workshop” especially in the church

2. Encourage the Fainthearted

“little-souled”

These are those who become discouraged easily, they want to give up

Encourage them that trials of life build them up and can strengthen them

This is done up close, personally, and tenderly

3. Help the Weak

HELP= “hold fast” don’t let them fall!!!

These are those who are weaker in the faith and growing

With both the weak and the fainthearted we need to help and not reject by the stronger ones in the Family… DON’T LET THEM FALL BEHIND

4. Be Patient

This is a great gift… some may say this is not my gift to give.

The fruit (Singular) of the Spirit is love… Joy… Peace… Patience!!!

To everyone!!! What an amazing gift to give if we gave everyone in the Family of God PATIENCE?

Have you ever noticed that the kids in the church who are the wildest and craziest… God usually calls to be pastors and missionaries?!

Patience… watch what God will do in that other person’s life (God’s work in a life takes time)

5. No Retaliation (Verse 15)

Don’t hold grudges

Don’t try to remember wrongs done so you can get even when the time comes

Don’t miss a gesture of love because you hold bitterness against someone

Forgive… 7x7 NO!!!! 70x7… and see God do amazing things!

Rather… seek how you can bless them / Seek how you can do good to them & for them

Do this not only for ONE ANOTHER but ALL PEOPLE!!! What would happen!!!???

WOW! What an amazing testimony for the watching world...

Gift Giving Requires Resources

That is quite the GIFT LIST… What amazing gifts to give! To give this we have amazing unlimited Resources:

We Have God’s Word to tell us how and instruct us

We have the Holy Spirit to strengthen and equip us

We have the Family of God…

We do this together… Remember these are Family Gifts

These gifts are done together to draw us together

Let’s seek to live this life as the Family of God and sharing these gifts with ONE ANOTHER! Thes family gifts given will bring memories created in this life, they will bring our family closer, and all of us get to enjoy these gifts together!