1 Thessalonians 5:12-28 Series

Please read the entire passage prior to the sermon presentation to set the stage.

This week we start the second oldest book in the New Testament as recorded in its publishing. We began with James on our year-long journey chronological study of the New Testament. Hence the reason we are calling this message series Chronos. It's a word that means “time.” We will be journeying through time back to the start of the early church. For the next few months we will be walking through the books written to those in Thessalonica.

Today, we open to the second chapter of this amazing letter to the church plant in one of the main travel junctions in all the Roman empire. A city of around 300,000 with some upper class but a great deal more working class people. The city was made up of Romans, Greeks and a powerful group of Greek speaking Jews.

The leadership collective (paul, silas and timothy), who had a relationship with this new church plant, were together reviewing the Christian movement and were sending this letter to the new church plant in Greece as encouragement and to correct some issues that had arisen.. Although Paul had only spent three to four weeks at this house church, he was impressed with the willingness of Thessalonians to live the mission when others would not.

Last week, we discovered that a witness for Christ must try everyday to express the hope we have within our hearts

We read the entire passage at the beginning to get everyone thinking about the words Paul is writing to this new church plant. I want to pick up the five questions proposed by this final portion of 1 Thessalonians we heard earlier.

Verse 14 - And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone

idle and disruptive… Is it a sin to idle?

I was brought up in a family where moving and doing was important. One of my dad’s favorite says was, “we’ve gotta go. We've Really really gotta go.” To be idle was considered bad. However, Paul is not talking about taking a rest or a sabbath, after all planning a sabbath actually demonstrates faith. Trust that God is in control and active even when we take a breather is faith.

When Paul is condemning those who are idle. He is speaking to a few bad actors. They were not willing to work because they justified that if the end of the world was coming what's the point of working. Paul understood these people were causing problems within the new collection of believers. It would have been like that group project in school or at work when one or two people don’t pull their weight but your paycheck or grade depends on them joining the process. Someone from the outside needed to address the situation. Living in service as a group involves sensitivity: sensing the condition of each person and offering the appropriate remedy for each situation. In this case, Paul was calling them out by going public with his comments. He then offers a little more leadership advice.

In Verse 16 -18, Paul says - Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

I can’t tell you how many coffee mugs or t-shirts I have seen these words on but it begs the question,

Is Paul telling us, or demanding, that we be happy always, live on our knees and act like a group of pollyannas (excessively and irrationally cheerful) and if you don’t, you’re not a “real” Christian?

Paul is highlighting a Christian's attitude. Christian attitude is built upon acknowledging our dependence on God, realizing the hope his presence within us offers and determining to obey him fully. As a result of this obedience, it becomes natural to pray all the time. God always hears us and always answers us. Praying and waiting humbles us before God as well as teaches us to rely on his will over our own.

So when that wacked out Christian tells you to be cheerful and give thanks on the worst day of your life, remind them that you already have and you look forward to the moment God either miraculously intervenes or uses this experience to bring about an outcome we cannot fathom.

Verse 19 - Do not quench the Spirit

Can a human stop God’s Spirit from moving in this world?

I will never forget being in a prayer gathering in Africa. The day of teaching and worship was amazing. You could literally feel the presence of the Holy Spirit growing among the participants. As we came closer to the end of the day, one of our leaders opened up a divisive topic among those present. One statement led to another and eventually the entire conference was shouting at one another. You could literally feel the Spirit leave the room, like air from a flat tire.