Loving Broken People

Introduction:

Dealing with people can be hard. We have problems.

1 Thessalonians 5:14 ESV

14 And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.

Paul uses a stronger word to begin v. 14 than he did in v. 12.

1. Admonish the Idle

Remember from last week that the word admonish has the idea of instructing someone with the aim of motivating them to action.

There were lazy Christians in the body that needed to be informed and warned to get to work.

The KJV translates v. 14 like this.

1 Thessalonians 5:14 (KJV 1900)

14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly,

These unruly and lazy Christians were causing problems in the church. Some of them were gossiping. Some were stirring up problems because they had all the time in the world to complain, especially since they were not a part of the solution.

2. Encourage the Fainthearted

To be fainthearted is to be discouraged. Who here this morning is discouraged? Who is depressed and needs someone to lift them up.

We don’t have to be diagnosed with clinical depression to get discouraged and need a hand. We all get discouraged, and when we do, we need someone to help us and encourage us along the way.

3. Help the Weak

To be weak is to be powerless to change something. Now this same word can sometimes be used of sickness as well. It is possible Paul had in mind the people who were sick and weak, but probably he had more in mind than just physical sickness.

Remember that many of the Thessalonians were under persecution for their faith. They were being picked on and attacked. They could feel weak to change their situation and powerless to make a difference.

We can feel powerless to change who we are. We can feel powerless to change our family. We can feel powerless to change our situation at work. We can feel like our life is out of control and we are powerless.

What do we do? We help each other. We help by encouraging one another and helping each other to be victorious over the affects of sin in our lives.

Remember that we serve an omnipotent God. He is all powerful, and when we are weak, He is strong.

4. Be Patient with Everyone

This last one might be the hardest of them all. It’s hard to be patient with people that grate on your nerves, isn’t it!

I’m going to let you in on a little secret. We all get on somebody’s nerves! It’s true!

Paul knew that anytime you have a bunch of sinners together in one place, you are bound to have some strife. The answer to that strife is to learn to be patient with one another.

We may have strife because we are immature.

We may have strife because we are bound by sin.

We may have strife because we are hurting.

Any of these situations calls for us to be patient with one another. God is working on each of us to make us into the image of God. Until He finishes His work, we will always need patience with one another.