EXHORTATIONS ARE UNIQUE EPILOGUES THAT ANNOUNCE THE JOYS OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND WELL-DOING WHILE AT THE SAME TIME SOUNDING THE ALARM TO WARN AGAINST GROWING CONTENT WITHIN THE PARAMETERS OF FRUITFUL MINISTRY.
THE CHURCH IS A LABOR OF LOVE AND CANNOT SEPARATE THE TWO BY LABORING WITHOUT LOVING OR LOVING YET NOT FOUND LABORING. THE TWO MUST ALWAYS BE FOUND HAND-IN-HAND WITHIN THE CHURCH.
THIS IS ONE OF THE REASON PAUL COMMENDS TIMOTHY ON THE GOOD NEWS HE IS HEARING ABOUT THE WORK GOING ON AT THE CHURCH IN THESSALONICA.
PAUL IS PLEASED WITH THEIR WORK, SO HE JUST WANTED THEM TO UNDERSTAND THAT THEY STILL NEED TO BE ON GUARD SO THAT THEY DON’T REST ON THEIR LAURELS OR BECOME ROUTINE AND MECHANICAL IN WHAT THEY DO FOR CHRIST AND EACH OTHER.
AS WITH ANYTHING IN LIFE, NO MATTER HOW GOOD OR SUCCESSFUL A THING MAY BE, THERE WILL ALWAYS BE A TIME FOR RE-EVALUATING THE REASONS FOR WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO.
THERE IS ALWAYS THE NEED TO DISCUSS AND CONTEMPLATE HOW WE CAN FIND WAYS TO DO THINGS EVEN BETTER THAN BEFORE. IN OTHER WORDS, THERE IS ALWAYS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT IN HOW WE MINISTER AS A CHURCH.
WE CAN TAKE PAUL’S LETTER TO TIMOTHY AND THE CHURCH AT THESSALONICA AND LEARN VALUABLE DETAILS OF HOW WE CAN CONTINUE BEING A PRODUCTIVE, SPIRIT-FILLED, GROUP OF ACTIVE CHRISTIANS WORKING FOR GOD’S KINGDOM.
I OBVIOUSLY CAN’T COVER ALL THE EXHORTATIONS OF PAUL, BUT I WANT TO AT LEAST TOUCH ON A FEW WHICH ARE:
- RESPECT AUTHORITY OF LEADERSHIP
- BE AT PEACE
- ENCOURAGE THE FAINTHEARTED
- HELP THE WEAK
- BE PATIENT WITH EVERYONE
- DO NOT QUENCH THE SPIRIT
PAUL WANTED TO ENCOURAGE THE CHURCH IN THEIR QUEST TO DO ALL THE GOOD THEY COULD FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND NOT TO STOP SHORT OUT OF ANXIOUSNESS FOR CHRIST’S RETURN.
PAUL STARTS AT THE TOP BY SAYING "RESPECT THOSE WHO LABOR AMONG YOU…[AND] ESTEEM THEM HIGHLY IN LOVE." PAUL WANTS THE CHURCH TO KNOW THAT WE ARE TO RECOGNIZE THE POSITIONS OF THOSE IN LEADERSHIP.
JUST LIKE A SOLDIER WHO SALUTES A MILITARY OFFICER, THE SOLDIER IS NOT SALUTING THE PERSON, BUT THEIR RANK. IT IS A SIGN OF RESPECT FOR THE POSITION HELD. THE SAME IS TRUE FOR THE CHURCH. WE MUST SHOW RESPECT FOR THE POSITION.
WHETHER IT BE THE SERVICE CHAPLAIN, SENIOR FAITH GROUP CHAPLAIN, WING CHAPLAIN, OR OUR PARISH COUNCIL REPS, WE MUST SHOW RESPECT. THE GREEK WORDS PAUL USES HERE MEANS "TO KNOW," "TO APPRECIATE," AND "TO BE CONSIDERED WORTHY OF BEING LOVED."
CHURCHES NEED TO UPLIFT WITH THEIR LOVE, PRAYERS, AND SUPPORT BY SHOWING RESPECT TO THEIRCHAPEL AND PARISH LEADERS BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF THEIR GOD-ORDAINED RESPONSIBILITIES WITHIN THE CHAPEL AND CHURCH.
THEN PAUL GOES ON TO SAY “BE AT PEACE” WHICH IS ACTUALLY A COMMAND OF CHRIST IN EPHESIANS 5:1, THAT WE BE IMITATORS OF GOD AND LIVE A LIFE OF LOVE. THIS GOES RIGHT AT THE HEART OF WHAT CHRISTIANS ARE CALLED TO BE AND DO!
THIS IS A COMMAND THAT CALLS FOR A SANCTIFIED RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LEADERSHIP AND CHURCH MEMBERS. IN OTHER WORDS, PEACE IS A TWO-WAY STREET! THIS TYPE OF PEACE COMES WHEN ALL WORK TOGETHER TO BUILD THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND TO SERVE ONE ANOTHER.
ONE OF THE BEST WAYS FOR THIS TYPE OF “PEACE” TO OCCUR IS FOR ALL CHRISTIANS TO SERVE WITH THEIR GOD-GIVEN GIFTS, LETTING OTHERS USE THEIR GIFTS, AND THEN TO RESPECT AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER FOR WHAT GOD IS DOING THROUGH THEM. WE ARE TO BE AT PEACE!
ENCOURAGE THE FAINTHEARTED AND HELP THE WEAK IS A COMMAND THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH AGE, SOCIAL STATUS, GENDER, RACE OR COMPETENCE, BUT WITH THOSE WHO ARE LACKING CONFIDENCE IN THEMSELVES OR THEIR FAITH.
THE GREEK VERB PAUL USES FOR “ENCOURAGE” MEANS "TO COME ALONGSIDE WITH HELPFUL INSTRUCTION AND INSIGHT.” THEREFORE, WE, AS CHRISTIANS ARE TO LIFT THEM UP AND GIVE THEM ALL THE SUPPORT THEY NEED TO BUILD THEIR CONFIDENCE IN ORDER TO CARRY ON. WE SUPPORT THEM IN ANY WAY WE CAN TO “KEEP THEM ON THEIR FEET.” WE ARE TO BE AN ENCOURAGER!
PAUL’S TEACHING GOES ON TO TELL US TO BE PATIENT WITH ALL! PATIENCE IS THE GLUE THAT HOLDS OUR RELATIONSHIPS TOGETHER. IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES AND WHOEVER COMES OUR WAY, WE MUST NEVER GIVE-UP ON ANYONE…EVEN IF THEY EXHAUST US BECAUSE THEY REQUIRE A LOT OF OUR TIME, ENERGY AND ATTENTION.
NO, IT IS NOT EASY WITH DIFFICULT PEOPLE AND YES, IT IS A SYNCH WITH THOSE WE LOVE. EITHER WAY, BEING PATIENT IS A PART OF WHAT LOVE MEANS. AFTER ALL: PATIENCE IS NOT ONLY AN ATTRIBUTE OF GOD, BUTA FRUIT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN US AND A CHARACTERISTIC OF LOVE. SO, “LONG-SUFFERING” IS REQUIRED OF US.
MASTERING THE ART OF PATIENCE IS A PRODUCT OF GOD’S GRACE AND OUR DISCIPLINE. IT IS A PERSISTENT GOAL TO USE EDIFICATION AS AN OUTREACH TOOL TO WIN THE LOST AND TO BUILD THE FELLOW CHRISTIAN.
THE LAST POINT I WANT TO COVER IS PAUL’S EXHORTATION THAT WE MUST NOT QUENCH THE SPIRIT. THE GREEK VERB FOR "QUENCH" MEANS "TO EXTINGUISH," OR "TO GRIEVE." THIS MEANS IT REFERS TO THE HOLY SPIRIT AND NOT TO SPIRITUAL GIFTS.
IN OTHER WORDS, WE MUST NOT "PUT OUT" THE HOLY SPIRIT OR GRIEVE HIM BY OUR WORDS, INACTIVITY, SLOTHFULNESS, OVER-ZEALOUSNESS OR SERVICE. THE CHURCH MUST BE CAREFUL TO LIVE IN SUCH A WAY THAT WE DON’T "PUT OUT THE FIRE" OF ALLOWING THE HOLY SPIRIT TO MINISTER THROUGH US AND WITHIN OUR CHAPEL.
THAT IS WHY WE MUST TAKE DISCIPLINE AND OBEDIENCE SERIOUSLY SO THAT WE DON’T BECOME APATHETHIC, SLOPPY OR LAZY IN REGARDS TO OUR TESTIMONY AND MINISTRY.
WE CANNOT OFFORD TO OFFEND SOMEONE SIMPLY BECAUSE WE “LET OUR GUARD DOWN” AND HAD A “HUMAN MOMENT” WHERE WE DID NOT SHOW THE LOVE AND GRACE OF CHRIST.
WE CAN "QUENCH THE SPIRIT" WITH UNKIND OR DISPARAGING REMARKS, GOSSIP, ANGER, AND JUDGMENTAL COMMENTS. WE DON’T WANT ANY NEGATIVE THING WE DO TO CAUSE ANOTHER TO STUMBLE OR FALL AWAY!
THE CHURCH AND HER PEOPLE ARE TO BE SANCTIFIED. WE ARE TO BE "SET APART" AND "DIFFERENT" FROM THE WORLD AND FROM ALL OTHERS. THE UNSAVED WORLD SEES A DIFFERENCE AND EXPERIENCES A DIFFERENT KIND OF LIFE WITHIN THE CHURCH AND WITHIN THE CHRISTIAN.
AS PAUL CONCLUDES, HE SAID WE ARE TO BE BLAMELESS, WHICH DOES NOT MEAN "SINLESSLY PERFECT," BUT LIVING IN SUCH A WAY THAT THERE IS NO LEGITIMATE GROUNDS FOR ACCUSATION IN HOW WE LIVE AND PRESENT CHRIST. IN OTHER WORDS, "OUR WALK TALKS LOUDER THAN OUR TALK, TALKS."
SO, AS WE MOVE EVER SO CLOSER TO 2011 AND ONCE AGAIN FIND OURSELVES UNDER NEW PASTORAL LEADERSHIP, LET US COMMIT TO LIVING AND GIVING THE WORLD A REASON TO BELIEVE THAT CHRIST IS LORD AND THAT GOD IS A LOVING FATHER. LET’S GIVE THEM CAUSE TO SEEK A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, THROUGH CHRIST, THAT IS LOVING, PERSONAL AND INTIMATE.
AND AS PAUL SO ELOQUENTLY CONCLUDED: "MAY THE GOD OF PEACE HIMSELF SANCTIFY YOU ENTIRELY; AND MAY YOUR SPIRIT AND SOUL AND BODY BE KEPT SOUND AND BLAMELESS AT THE COMING OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. THE ONE WHO CALLS YOU IS FAITHFUL, AND HE WILL DO THIS. …[MAY] THE GRACE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST BE WITH YOU." AMEN.
