In All Things Rejoice, Pray and Give Thanks
1 Thessalonians 5:16-5:18
Why and how do we rejoice and give thanks?
As I share the word of God with you, I pray that you and I may experience “being Spirit filled.” Actually I am very confident that we would experience that as we pay all our attention to the word of God which I am going to share. The bible says,” Rejoice always! Pray constantly. Give thanks in everything, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1Th 5:16-18)
As we reflect on these verses, we have to notice at least three things here. First, we are not simply to rejoice, pray and give thanks, but do it always, without ceasing, and in everything, We are commanded to rejoice, pray and give thanks regardless of our circumstances and situations. Apostle Paul is describing here our life style as Christian which involves every aspect of our lives
Secondly; we also have to remember that this command was given to every Christian. It didn’t say “this is God’s will for some of you. Just as God commanded every Christian to be spirit filled, so did God with this command. Living spirit filled life should be norm for every Christian. By the same token, I believe, rejoicing, praying, and giving thanks in whatever circumstances should characterize the life of every Christian.
Thirdly, this command wasn’t given to an individual, but to church. This command should characterize not only our individual life style as Christian, but also our church. Such being the case, is our church known for such life? Is our church rejoicing always, praying without ceasing, and giving thanks to God in everything?
Before we answer the question, let me define what is to rejoice always and give thanks in everything. Does God suggest here that we live a life with positive perspective? We know even nonbelievers say such things: live a life focused on positive things enjoying your life, rejoicing, giving thanks, etc. Many of those nonbelievers actually seem to live such life more so than even the believers. They say you can maintain positive attitude about your lives in spite of the difficult circumstances you may be in. They may suggest, for example, you compare yourself with those who are in worse circumstances. They may suggest you give thanks remembering when things used to be worse and harder or you comfort yourself thinking what might have been worse.
I acknowledge it’s commendable to maintain positive perspective in some cases. But, at the same time, this isn’t what Paul meant by giving thanks in whatever circumstances and rejoicing always. You might say Paul had a positive perspective for all circumstances, but he never suggested that we compare our circumstances with those of others or other times, to come up with reasons to be thankful or rejoice. He never taught the people to be thankful for always changing circumstances themselves. Rather, he taught the people to be thankful and rejoice in all circumstances without having to compare with others or other times.
If Paul was not talking about positive perspective, then what did he talk about? Was he then simply saying, ”rejoice and give thank” unconditionally and without thinking or reasoning? I don’t think this neither is what he meant. Whether you are Christian or not, no one can argue, you have to have a reason or condition for rejoicing and giving thanks. It doesn’t matter who you are, but when you rejoice and give thanks, there must be a reason or condition for that. This being the case, Paul was saying there is reason to be thankful in everything and rejoice always. For relatively good things and conditions, we can give thanks and rejoice time to time, but not always nor in every thing. One shouldn’t expect you to rejoice always and give thanks in every circumstance unless you have an unusual condition and reasons to do that. I would call this unusual condition or reason as absolute.
Can you think of what I am referring to when I say this unusual or absolute condition or reason? I think this unusual condition or reason has to have at least three characteristics.
First, this unusual reason has to be something unchanging or constant. If you give thanks and rejoice over something changing, then you may not be able to do so another time. For example, you can’t rejoice over your health forever.
Secondly, this should be not only unchanging, but also good. Like hell, though unchanging, it can’t be reason for rejoicing and giving thanks.
Thirdly, this should be also more important than anything else. If it is not that important though constant and good, you wouldn’t rejoice and give thanks when things more important turn out bad. For example, you may be thankful for your past, which is unchanging and good, but if you lost your job, your past is not that important and you wouldn’t be thankful and rejoicing anymore. If you want to live a life rejoicing and giving thanks to God even when you lost your job, you have to have a reason which is more important than your job.
Now, can you think of the reason that meets all these three conditions?
The answer is God. That’s why Habakkuk gave thanks “Though the fig tree does not bud and there is no fruit on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls.” (Habakkuk 3:17-18)
The answer is also Jesus. He is unchanging. He is good and important than more than anybody and anything else. That’s why Paul could write in prison saying, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! “Phi 4:4 He said, “rejoice in the Lord,” but not in something changing, relatively good, relatively important because our Lord is the same yesterday, today, and forever. (Heb 13:8) He is the Best and He is the most important.
The answer is the Holy Spirit. Jesus promised the Samaritan woman the water that will become a well of water springing up within him for eternal life, referring to the Holy Spirit, which satisfies our souls permanently. No wonder joy is fruit of the Holy Spirit.
The love of God, the salvation of our Lord Jesus and our eternal life, all these are unchanging, absolutely good, and absolutely important. Those are the reasons that we can be thankful in whatever circumstance and rejoice always.
God allowed us an event by which we can own all those reasons. Do you know what that is?
The event was that “Jesus died for our sins on the cross.” That’s why we call this event the Good News though it seemed in fact the most tragic event ever happened in human history. It is not good news, but the Good News, with definite article. It’s not one of much good news, but rather it’s the only kind of Good NEWS, absolute Good News. This Good News is the power of God for those who are being saved. (1 Co 1:18) It is the power of God because it serves as constant reminder of we have the reason to rejoice always, give thanks in every circumstance.
It is interesting to notice to whom Paul was writing this letter. It was to Thessalonians. Paul shared this Good News to them earlier: “you became imitators of us and of the Lord when, in spite of severe persecution, you welcomed the message with the joy from the Holy Spirit.” (I Thessalonians 1:6) They received the Good News with gladness in spite of severe persecution. The Good News is the absolute condition to rejoice, no matter how severe circumstances you are in.
I think the answer is 1 Cor. 2:2, which reveals Paul’s life and determination while ministering at Corinth, from which he sent this letter.
“For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” While Paul was in Corinth, according to this verse, the Good News possessed his minds and thinking. He called himself as servant of the Gospel. He had determined not to know other than the Good News, which means that Jesus died for our sins. He didn’t consider his life important to share this Gospel. This Good News the Thessalonians received with gladness while suffering persecution, is the unchanging condition that enabled them to give thanks and rejoice regardless of their circumstances.
I believe the abundant life Jesus promised refers to this unchanging condition. Jesus came that they may have life and have it in abundance. And He laid down His life for them. (John 10:10-11) Jesus Himself knew that we would have life and have it in abundance only when He laid down His life for us. Of course, this abundant life Jesus promised is not depending on our circumstances and our time and place dimension.
It is not God’s will that we live miserable life before we enter the heaven though some may think it is. He wants us to live such abundant life, giving thanks and rejoicing while here. We can experience heavenly place right here with Jesus in our hearts.
If this is very purpose of Jesus coming as He said it is, then living abundant life is not only privilege but also obligation. I would call as one of most important matter in our lives. If our Lord paid such high price so that we may live abundant life, then we are obligated to take it and it’s not a matter of option. It’s in fact sin to live otherwise.
But, there is one condition to consider. Jesus promised this kind of life only to His flock, the church rather than individual. Just as the command of to“rejoice and give thanks” was given to church, Jesus promised this abundant life to church. Of course we can’t enjoy such abundant life as individual, but at the same time we can’t enjoy such life apart from other brothers and sisters we share our lives with, that is, church.
We as individuals belong to Christ, but also to one another. (Rom 12:5 NIV) Living Spirit filled life is not a matter of individual life since it involves obeying one another in Christ, responding to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music to the Lord in your heart, giving thanks always for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Eph 5:18-20)
Just as Spirit filled life, I believe, the abundant life Jesus promised is experienced as His flock. Jesus Himself promised saying “If you keep My commands you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commands and remain in His love.” Then He went on to say, “I have spoken these things to you so that My joy may be in you and your joy may be complete. This is My command: love one another as I have loved you.” (John 15:10-12)
This is the command, the voice of the Shepherd, which the flock has to listen and follow. This commandment is also condition for experiencing His Joy. This is why we need to pray without ceasing to be led by the Shepherd. If we don’t make an effort to listen to Him intentionally, we would listen other voice instead, the voice of thief.
Do you know why? The thief, Satan, as the god of this age controls this world (I John 5:19). This is why it takes our prayer to listen the Shepherd’s voice continuously. Satan’s goal is to prevent the people from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ. (2Co 4:4) To those who already saw the light of the gospel, the thief tries to obscure the light of the gospel in each believer’s mind.
Jesus commanded to "love one another just as He has loved us.” John 13:34 He called it the New Commandment. If the Gospel is the New Covenant, then the New Commandment was given so that we may fully enjoy the benefit of the New Covenant. Actually, I believe, the New Commandment was given by our Lord as the way to live the New Covenant. This New commandment is the condition for our joy according to Jesus.
We are called to live and enjoy the abundant life Jesus promised and Jesus died for. He did everything possible, most important of which being His death on the cross, for us to have life and abundant life. As we focus on His love demonstrated in His sacrificial death and keeping His New commandment, we will rejoice always and give thanks in whatever circumstances.
