Sermon Tone Analysis

Text: 1 Thessalonians 5:12-15

Theme: We are responsible and accountable for how we respond to our brothers in Christ.

Those of you who have regularly read through the letters of the Apostle Paul written to various 1st-century churches are familiar with the phrase “Finally my brothers ...” It means that the Apostle is about to wrap up his letter to the church.

And when you read that word finally in Paul’s letters be prepared for a closing list of attitudes and behaviors that Christians should be striving for in their walk with Christ.

Our text for the next four to five weeks is one of those passage where, in rapid succession, Paul lays out how believers ought to be living.

“But we request of you, brethren, that you appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction, 13 and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work.

Live in peace with one another.

14 We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone.

15 See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people.

16 Rejoice always; 17 pray without ceasing; 18 in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

19 Do not quench the Spirit; 20 do not despise prophetic utterances.

21 But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; 22 abstain from every form of evil.”

(1 Thessalonians 5:12–22, NASB95)

If each of us spent the rest of our live just attempting to flesh-out the attitudes and behaviors mentioned in these ten verses, our posterity for generations onward would be telling others of our virtuous life.

In vv.

12-22 of chapter five, Paul gives the Thessalonian Christians some final instructions on living while they wait for the Lord's return.

It’s solid advise for the church even today!

While you’re waiting for the appearance of God’s Kingdom on earth, Live Responsibly in Relationship with Other Believers.

While you’re waiting for Jesus to come again, Pray Without Ceasing.

While you’re waiting for the 2nd Advent, Be Enthusiastically joyful.

While you’re waiting for that Glorious Day, Respond to the Gospel.

While you’re waiting for the Day of the Lord, Keep Far, Far Away from Evil.

These are the major themes in Paul’s final instructions to the believers in Thessalonica.

This morning, let’s consider the first, Live Responsibly in Relationship with Other Believers.

With that topic in mind, let me outline for you this morning, three specific groups of people within the Body of Christ, and how we are to relate to them.

Relating to Church Leaders

Relating to Church Members

Relating to Church Members in Difficulty

I. WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR HOW WE RELATE WITH CHURCH LEADERS

“But we request of you, brethren, that you appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction, 13 and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work.

Live in peace with one another.”

(1 Thessalonians 5:12–13, NASB95)

1. one of the most important relationships in the church is the relationship between church members and their congregational leaders

2. sadly, some of the most serious and persistent problems in the church today revolve around a congregation’s relationship with its leaders

a. how do church members relate to their pastor, the church staff, deacons and other elected leaders?

b. how should the church respond to these various leaders?

A. THE APOSTLE SPEAKS TO QUALIFICATIONS THAT EARN RESPECT v. 12

1.

1st, a church leader earns respect by diligently laboring among the flock of God

a. the word labor here refers to hard, manual work which requires exhausting toil and produces sweat

b. spiritual leadership is difficult and weighted with responsibility

1) whether it's a pastor's relationship to his congregation ...

2) whether it's a Sunday School teacher's relationship to their class ...

3) whether it's a deacon's relationship to his families ...

c. all are to be hard-working servants of the church

2. 2nd, a church leader earns respect by exercising charge over the flock of God in the Lord

a. in a Baptist Church, when we call a Pastor or staff member, or elect those from among the congregation to positions of leadership, we are in essence giving them a certain measure of authority over the life of the church

b. we are committing to such people the responsibility for the congregation’s spiritual well-being and the advancement of God’s Kingdom in our community

“Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account.

Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.” (Hebrews 13:17, ESV)

1) watching over the flock of God ought to be a joy

2) sadly, as some of you know from your own experience, watching over the flock of God, can also lead to groaning

3) the word groaning here in Hebrews 13:17 means to sign often and deeply

ILLUS.

It’s what Jesus does every time the disciples just don’t ‘get it’

c. the phrase exercising charge over in 1 Thes.

5:12, comes from a word that implies a protectorship or guardianship

1) the implication is that church leaders are to be shepherds and not CEOs, ministers and not bosses

ILLUS.

Sadly, I’ve seen churches in our own association wither and die under the leadership of pastors who believed their authority should go unchallenged, that their word was law, and if you disagreed with them you were the problem, and had to be forced out.

2) there is a reason why pastoral ministry is called the shepherding ministry

ILLUS.

An ancient Israelite shepherd would go before his sheep to lead them; he would not drive the sheep from behind them.

Church leaders should lead the people of God in the same way: feeding, protecting, and guiding them.

d. the qualification for church leadership is the character and ministry of Jesus

1) it is in the Lord

a) Christian leaders should also remember that they have been given responsibility for tending a flock that belongs to God, not to themselves

2) leaders are not to exercise their authority like dictators, potentates or prima donnas

ILLUS.

Remember Diotrephes?

He’s the reason the Apostle John writes his third Epistle.

Here was a church leader who had asserted a heavy-handed leadership over a congregation to its harm.

The Apostle describes him as one who likes to put himself first.

This, of course, is the anthesis of biblical church leadership.

a) Diotrephes was not overseeing the church in the Lord

b) congregational leadership must always, always, always be expressed in the Lord

3) if we could distill the style of our Lord’s leadership into a single essence, that essence would be servanthood

4) church leaders should diligently labor to be servants to the flock of God “shepherd the flock of God that is among you, ... not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.”

(1 Peter 5:2–3, ESV)

3. 3rd, a church leader earns respect by admonishing or giving us instruction

a. one of the high callings of a pastor or teacher or spiritual leader in the church is to help others in the congregation to grow in their faith, and in their relationship with the Lord

b. spiritual growth comes primarily by preaching, teaching, and modeling the Word of God

1) this implies that members need to display a teachable spirit toward their leaders

ILLUS.

Henry David Thoreau once wrote, "It takes two to speak the truth — one to speak, and another to hear."

c. and spiritual growth comes by admonishing, and instructing those who are not measuring up to the fulness of Christ

B. THE APOSTLE SPEAKS TO OUR RESPONSE TO CHURCH LEADERS

1. 1st, we are to respect and appreciate them for their hard work among us

a. church work, whether it be teaching a class of 5th & 6th graders, keeping the church clean from week-to-week, or visiting the sick can be hard work

ILLUS.

Hospital visitation with Bob Moles.

1) church work can be physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausting work

2) if you don't think so, just talk to anyone here who has worked in Vacation Bible School!

b. you need to respect and express appreciation to those who labor among you in your respective congregations

c. church members can often be insensitive to the basic psychological need we all have to feel appreciated for our labor — especially our volunteer labor

ILLUS.

When Linda and I lived in Adrian, we had young adult woman who was asked to serve as chairperson of the Hostess Committee.

Her chief responsibility was organizing fellowship meals and the annual Senior High School Baccalaureate Dinner.

Michelle had grown up in the church.

When she was asked to serve she was excited about taking over the responsibility because she had some fresh ideas that she wanted to implement.

Well, this was a Baptist Church, and Michelle should have known that Baptists don’t often deal with change well.