01 Lessons From the School of Prayer (Planning)

Praying with Paul • Sermon • Submitted 4 years ago

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1 Thessalonians 5:23–28 ESV

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.

Pray

Having instructed the church to rejoice, pray, and give thanks, the apostle then prays for the church and reminds them that he and his coworkers need prayer as well. In 1 Thessalonians 5:23, Paul makes two petitions, followed by an affirmation of confidence in the faithfulness of God in verse 24.

Petition 1

Take note that Paul starts this verse with the phrase the God of Peace. Why do you think Pail addresses his prayer to “the God of peace”?

First it harkens back to the beginning of the book where Paul greets the believers with the phrase “Grace to you and peace.” Again in chapter 5:13 Paul exhorts the church to be at peace among yourselves. Commentator Greg Beale explains, “God is referred to as the God of peace because he is the only one who perfectly possesses peace and he is the ultimate origin of peace for others.”

Second Paul prays that God will bring about peace or wholeness by sanctifying believers completely. Holiness, or sanctification, is an important theme in 1 Thessalonians. For example, the apostle writes, “It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life” (4:3,7, NIV). God not only commands His people to live holy lives, He also gives them His Holy Spirit (see 4:8) and is faithful to accomplish the complete holiness of His people (see 5:24). Thus Paul asks God to sanctify the church, to bring His purposes to completion. Augustine captures this interplay between God’s commanding and enabling work in his famous prayer, “Give me the grace to do as you command, and command me to do what you will!”7

Biblically, what does peace mean?

In Scripture, peace is more than simply the absence of strife but refers positively to the wholeness and well-being of God’s people. Through His death on the cross, Jesus has achieved costly, lasting peace, reconciling people to God and also to one another (see Eph. 2:14–17; Col. 1:20).

Petition 2

Paul’s second request complements the first: “May your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (5:23).

Why did Paul use that phrase? What does he mean?

This prayer reiterates 1 Thessalonians 3:13: “so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.”8 As we will see throughout this study, Paul’s understanding of God’s ultimate purposes for His church on the day of Christ fundamentally guides his priorities and perspective in prayer.

Affirmation

In verse 24 Paul expresses an affirmation, what is it and what is he saying?

Paul’s confidence doesn’t rest on the church’s valiant efforts to pursue holiness and godliness but in the faithfulness of God to finish what He starts. “He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it” (5:24). First Corinthians 1:8–9 expresses the same conviction: “He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord” (NIV). The God who calls the church will certainly carry out His sanctifying work in them unto the end.

Ask for Intercession

Verse 25 sees a change in direction, what is that change?

After offering instruction in prayer and praying for God to accomplish His ultimate purposes in the church, the apostle now asks the Thessalonians to intercede for him in verse 25: “Brothers, pray for us.” Paul repeatedly requests prayer in his letters:

Colossians 4:3–4 ESV

3 At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— 4 that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.

2 Corinthians 1:11 ESV

11 You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.

Philippians 1:19 ESV

19 for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance,

Philemon 22 ESV

22 At the same time, prepare a guest room for me, for I am hoping that through your prayers I will be graciously given to you.

The apostle asks the churches to pray for unspecified help, for deliverance from unbelievers or from prison, and especially for open doors to boldly proclaim the gospel. Paul believes that God is faithful to accomplish His purposes in response to the prayers of His people. Even the apostle recognized his utter need for prayer and was not above asking others to pray for him in general or specific ways. Paul’s example forces us to reflect on our own constant need for prayer. Are we willing to humble ourselves enough to say, “Brothers, pray for me”?