The Healthy Church, Part 3--The Sheep's Proper Response to the Great Shepherd

The Healthy Church, Part 3-The Sheep's Proper Response to the Great Shepherd Spring Valley Mennonite; May 22, 2022; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 We've been considering the Lord's description of a Healthy Church found in the fifth chapter of 1 Thessalonians. The healthy church supports those God has called into leadership. The Healthy church does not ignore those with problems, the unruly, the fainthearted, the weak, the slow-growing sheep, and even the attacking sheep. God's church is to be like a hospital, a place for healing and restoration of health. In 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, we find three responses God expects from His Sheep, for a healthy church is made up of individual sheep stiving toward wholeness and spiritual health. What should characterize a healthy Christian? We find a wonderful description of spiritual health in these three short verses. We also sense the absolute need for grace in maintaining these three responses to life in this fallen world. Read vv. 16-18. I. REJOICE CONTINUALLY This is the shortest verse in the Bible. When I was in the third grade, our teacher required us to answer the roll call with a Bible verse! There were many "Jesus wept" responses, as that was the shortest verse many knew. Actually, in the Greek, "Jesus wept" takes three longer words to be expressed. "Rejoice always" takes only two short words. (A bit of Bible trivia to amaze your friends!) But what depth of meaning can be found in only two words! If there were no other evidence of Christians in the world other than the fact that they were continually rejoicing, what impact that would make! For so many, battered by the difficulties of life, express the attitude of "Life is hard, and then you die." What a difference to be continually filled with Joy! Understand that there is no qualification or limitation to this command. Does this mean that even when going through sorrow and grief we are to rejoice? I should rejoice when I lose my job and the bills pile up with no relief in sight? When the bottom falls out of a marriage, and we are abandoned and deep loneliness results-we are to rejoice? When those we love are experiencing pain and distress we are to rejoice? When death visits, I am to rejoice? Yes, this is the command. Why should we, and how can we rejoice when misfortune comes? We must remember that happiness and joy are two different things. Joy is not an emotion like happiness. All those situations I mentioned destroy happiness but need not quench our Joy. Joy is an inner attitude, a choice we are enabled to make in response to what God says is true about life. Joy is separate from the circumstances of life, and true and lasting joy comes from an intimate relationship with Jesus. John 15:10-11: "If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in His love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete." John 16:24 adds, "Until now you have not asked for anything in My name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete." Unlike the world and the unsaved person, our joy is unique in that it is an outcome of salvation and found through trust in God. So whatever circumstances in which we find ourselves, we can be joyful in our spirit, although our emotions may express completely the opposite. We don't live by feelings but by faith. We have God's perspective on life. What is that godly perspective on life that produces joy, and enables us to always rejoice? Some reasons the believer can rejoice always is because of God's unchangeable character of righteousness and love. Psalm 28:7: "The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; therefore, my heart exults and with my song I shall thank Him." Our constant joy also comes from appreciating Christ's redemptive work resulting from God's mercy, grace, compassion, and love. We have joy because we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, whose influence in our life produces joy through the toughest times. We have been blessed with every spiritual blessing. God sovereignly controls all things, so whatever comes ultimately serves His purposes: all things work together for good for those in Christ Jesus. We rejoice because we have the sure certainty of future glory, and eternity in the presence of the Lord Jesus-He will never abandon His bride! Other reasons to rejoice always are that God hears and answers prayer, His Word serves as a light unto our path and a lamp unto our feet, we have true fellowship and support through fellow believers, as well as His constant presence. Through the Holy Spirit we learn that bringing glory to God produces much more joy than avoiding present difficulties or being relieved of the effects of those difficulties. We know that we can choose to be joyful regardless of difficulties-that is what James meant when he tells us to "consider it all joy when we encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance, and let endurance have its perfect result that you may be perfect and complete lacking in nothing." We can rejoice always because of the truth about God and what He says is true about us. The second response of we sheep to the Great Shepherd is to: II. PRAY WITHOUT CEASING This idea has caused much unnecessary confusion from dedicated believers, for if we believe this is saying that we pray to the exclusion of every other activity, when do we eat or sleep or even carry out all the other commands of scripture? If I am praying without ceasing, when do I witness, or serve, or use my giftedness to minister within the body? So obviously, spending every moment praying is NOT what this is saying. We all realize our own insufficiency and need of prayer. This verb "pray" is the most common word for prayer and encompasses praise, confession, adoration, petition, and intercession. If I use the term "communication" as a synonym for praying, does that help our understanding? To pray always means to keep the communication lines open. I am to live with the attitude of complete openness to God as I go about my daily activities. An example is when you are walking in the yard: you might say, "Lord, that is a beautiful flower; You are so wonderfully creative!" "Lord, that bird is singing praise to You; thank You for ears to hear such things." "Lord, I am having difficulty with this task, give me skill and strength to accomplish it." When you hear of a disaster, or hear a siren, send up a sentence prayer-"Lord, protect life; may those affected find treatment and may this be used in their lives for good." Instead of wringing our hands when we watch or read the news, pray for God to intervene, that His will might be done. When we observe the sin and depravity which surrounds us, we pray as Jesus taught us, "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done here on earth, as it is in heaven." As often as we grieve at the sinful actions like the Buffalo grocery store shootings, or the murder of the Taiwanese believer in the church service in Los Angeles, or the continuing murder of civilians in the Ukraine, we pray "Even so, come Lord Jesus, Thy Kingdom come." As we go through the day, when temptation comes, or an ungodly thought creeps in, "Lord, help me resist this right now; fill me with positive and righteous thoughts." And as God places the remembrance of someone in your mind, pray for their prosperity, physical well-being, and most importantly, their spiritual welfare. All these examples are in addition to specific times you might set aside for prayer. I hope you all keep a prayer list, either written or mental. So, to "pray without ceasing" means to conduct your life with an open line of communication with God, envisioning Him as a close friend right by your side, for that is exactly where He is. There is so much about which to talk to God. The third privilege and responsibility we as sheep have toward the Great Shepherd is: III. IN ALL THINGS GIVE THANKS Being unthankful, ungrateful, murmuring and complaining is characteristic of the unregenerate heart. Romans 1:21, in s speaking of the natural man to whom God has revealed Himself through nature, says this: "For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God, or give thanks; but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened." But God has changed the believer's heart to be responsive to God's goodness with gratitude. Colossians 3:17 tells us that, "whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father." Hebrews 13:15, "Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name." It is through and because of what Jesus has done in and for us that we can continually give thanks. We readily respond to obvious blessings with thankfulness. I am thankful when I feel well and energetic, when I have had a good night's sleep, or after a good meal. When I receive my paycheck or tax refund, I am thankful. When it rains on my garden, I am thankful. I give thanks readily for freedom to worship, for my church in which to serve, for bright sunny days when the temperature is just right! We have little problem giving thanks for salvation, eternal life, and the presence of the Holy Spirit. But this command also makes us pause and wonder, in the same vein as rejoicing at ALL times: does God truly expect me to be thankful for all the crummy things that happen in my life? I am to be thankful for sickness? Are the folks in Andover whose homes were completely destroyed to be thankful for that? When a spouse dies and leaves one alone, they are to be thankful? Come on! That doesn't make sense! What is God telling me when He says, "Give thanks in all things"? Surely God doesn't expect me to give thanks for such things, does He? Let's explore this command for a moment. Some thoughts: We don't give thanks for sin, either personal or that of others. Yet, we can give thanks for the trials of life because we know God has allowed them for a purpose. His thoughts are not our thoughts. He has a grand master plan in which we are fitting in somehow. He is trustworthy, and His love toward us never wavers. Another thought is that giving thanks is an act of our will, regardless of the emotions of the moment. It has been said that "God writes straight with crooked lines." We seldom see the whole picture of what God is doing through adverse circumstances, so we can give thanks for His promised strength to endure. We also give thanks that everything in this life is temporary. And, when we endure with patience, it brings glory to God, which is our primary purpose in life. And maybe giving thanks is not "time sensitive." Time does give us perspective. When the Covid virus broke out in the spring of 2020 and we had to close our doors, many churches, including ours began to put their messages on social media so church congregations could still keep contact with their church. For the last two weeks I have been corresponding with Pastor Eric Satiti in Kenya who for the last two years has been watching the messages from Spring Valley, first on Youtube, and then on our church website. His church is called Shiloh Fellowship. I honestly doubt whether I gave thanks for Covid during 2020, but I can see how God has put a silver lining around that dark cloud, and I can now give thanks that God is blessing in unexpected ways. Giving thanks during trials demonstrates faith that God is in control and that He never causes us unnecessary pain. Listen to 1 Peter 4:19: "Therefore, let those also who suffer according to the will of God entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right." There are times when our foolish choices result in difficult times. There are consequences to bad or sinful choices. In such cases, we can be thankful for God's mercy and grace and forgiveness. One final observation about these commands: IV. IT IS GOD'S WILL THAT WE REJOICE ALWAYS, PRAY WITHOUT CEASING AND GIVE THANKS IN ALL THINGS It is not perfectly clear in our translations that God's will refers to all three of these commands, but the original Greek leaves no doubt. Often it is thought that God's will is difficult to discern, or that it takes great effort to find God's will for my life. This makes it clear that the will of God for every Christian is to continually live a life of rejoicing, prayer and gratitude. If we devote ourselves to these three things, I am convinced that God's particular will for our lives will become clear. Live joyfully, leaving our worries in God's very capable hands. Keep in constant communication with God, both planned and spontaneous like speaking with a dear companion. Live a life of continual gratitude, giving thanks for blessings, but also for trials, knowing that God is using trials to prepare us for ministry here and now as well as building up treasure in heaven. 2