1 Thessalonians 5:15-18 / Thank You
15See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.
16Rejoice evermore.
17Pray without ceasing.
18In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
The mark of a cultured person is measured by what society calls etiquette. We are characterized as either polite or impolite, as rude or refined, by our ability or inability to make proper use of etiquette. Etiquette says there are certain responses to certain situations. If you ask a favor, it is anticipated that you’ll follow up your request with the word “Please.”
If you make a mistake, you indicate your error by saying “My apology.” If you interrupt others, either in their conversation or in their activity, it’s correct to say, “Excuse me." And if someone does something for you, in response to his or her kindness you ought to say “Thank you.” That is the lesson of etiquette.
I bring this to your attention today because we are living in a selfish world. We are living in a world that has lost nearly all sense of order. People will run over you and never look back to say, “Excuse me.” Folk will hurt you and never apologize.
They will ask the world of you and expect you to give it without every saying a word called, “Please.” There are those who will take you and everything about you for granted and never once says, “Thank you.”
And of all the breeches of etiquette, of all the bad manners, I don’t know of one that cuts more deeply than one’s failure to say “Thank you.” You may have all the positions you want, your financial resources may be better than others, your attainments may be above your peers, but if you don’t have enough sense to say “Thank you,” something is still wrong with you.
It may be there are those who are unaware that they ought to say it. They don’t ever worry about why things happen or what causes things to come into place. Far as they know it’s always been there. Far as they know it’s always been like this. So they’re unaware of the obligation to say “Thank you” because in their thinking you haven’t done anything. (LAB)
And this is why God told the Hebrews in the 6th chapter of Deuteronomy to teach diligently their children. Remind them of the way he had made for them. That they weren’t always in a land flowing with milk and honey; but they had to live among snakes and scorpions.
Had to live among insects on the ground and in the air. God said tell them so they won’t forget. Tell them so they won’t mistreat what they have. And one of the problems in society today among young people is nobody is anything.
History is not being taught; heritage is not being emphasized –in home. Did you hear what I said? It is not merely the schools job to teach your child, training begins in the home. Self-worth starts in the home. Love for self, love for your community, love for your people should first be taught in the home.
So young people take for granted the right to vote, cause you won’t tell your story. They take for granted the right to be able to check in at a Sheraton hotel, cause you haven’t told them about the Dunbar. They look pass the elders because gratitude is not taught on how the elders opened the door for many of the things they enjoy.
They take for granted what you appreciate because they’ve always had it and many of them haven’t been told no different. And so many just don’t know that they ought to say, “Thank you.” Many just don’t know that their life ought to reflect gratitude and not an attitude.
Then there may be those who are just unable to say it. Thank you is not apart of their vocabulary. They have a hard time expressing thanks. But how I was taught, the way I was raised if you can’t say “Thank you,” that’s a bad reflection of your upbringing and your home training. And the one thing you didn’t do was make your people ashamed in public. You may not have any money but you can have manners. You may be poor but you can be polite. Everybody ought to learn to say, “Thank you.”
In the text Paul is addressing his letter to a very young church in Thessalonica, hence the name Thessalonians. The church at Thessalonica was founded in the midst of great and active opposition. And they feared that Paul’s continuance in the city could only bring death; so the brethren sent him away. So in order that their hope might be sustained in the midst of persecution Paul sent them a letter about Christian etiquette.
First, Paul says in the 15th verse see that none render evil for evil. My brothers and sisters I don’t care what you say, you cant live the Christian life on a payback philosophy. Let me put it to you like this “Two wrongs don’t make a right.” If someone does you wrong you can’t go around daydreaming about how you’re going to get back at him or her.
Romans 12:19
…Vengeance is mine; saith the Lord , I will repay.
You got to be careful about playing God.
Secondly, Paul says, “Rejoice.” In an article Dr. Dale Robbins wrote, “I used to think people complained because they had a lot of problems. But I have come to realize that they have a lot of problems because they complain.”
Complaining doesn’t change anything brothers and sisters. It won’t make your situation any better. All complaining does is amplify your frustration, spread discontent and it gives an invitation for the devil to cause more havoc in your life. Complaining makes you miserable.
Psalm 77:3 says, “I complained and my spirit was overwhelmed.”
So Paul says instead of complaining, rejoice. This word rejoice translated in it’s original Greek text denotes the ability to be peaceful and calm even when circumstances around you are not peaceful and calm.
That’s why I wonder what do folk do who don’t have Jesus. For the promise given to those who have Jesus according to Philippians 4:7 is that the peace of God will keep my heart and mind. The peace of God will keep me from losing my mind. The peace of God stills my trouble heart.
You wonder why a believer can go through what they go through and still be all right? They’ve got the peace of God. It’s keeping the heart, it’s keeping the mind and not does it keep the heart and mind but it ought to keep your mouth.
It ought to keep you from going off on folk. It ought to keep you from cussing folk out. The peace of God. And listen not only do we have the peace of God but according to Romans 5:1 because we’re saved we have peace with God.
I’ve got peace with God, and I’ve got the peace of God. I don’t care if you like me or not I’ve got peace with God. You go on your job tomorrow and not feel any anxiety because you’ve got peace with God. And because you have that peace you can rejoice, for this joy I have the world didn’t give it and the world can’t take it away.
Thirdly, Paul says, ”Pray without ceasing.” For you do know that the devil is never satisfied for peace to prevail. The devil is never happy for harmony to be in your house. He is the author of confusion so wherever Satan can get a foot in, he will. You remember the old song, “Don’t let the devil ride, if you let him ride he might want to drive.” Wherever Satan can get a foot in, he will. That’s why the word says, “Neither give place to the devil.” (LAB).
Prayer without ceasing.” Don’t ever stop praying because prayer still changes things. Developing a lifestyle of prayer takes a while. It is not an overnight destination. Don’t be fooled. And don’t be discouraged if praying is hard work sometimes. The forces of darkness are aimed at our prayer life.
Because prayer is more than a time to thank God, ask God, praise God, it’s also a time to listen to God and Satan wants you to miss the conversation. That’s why you children suddenly irate you, that’s why the phone rings, or someone stops by Satan is trying to mess up your conversation with God. The forces of darkness are aimed at our prayer life and that’s when you got to be more determined to do as Paul said pray without ceasing.
And then Paul says, “In everything give thanks.” Notice the verse does not say, "FOR everything give thanks.” It says, "IN everything give thanks.” The verse is encouraging us to see the bigger picture, to be reminded that God is in control and we can trust Him even when bad things are happening.
It is no test of faith my brothers and sisters to say, “Thank you” when the sun is shining. It does not create character when every idea is a stroke of genius and every morning is the dawn of a day better then the day before. That won’t increase your faith. Paul says, “In everything.”
When the world turns upside down on you, thank him.
When sickness comes into your body, thank him.
When death creeps into your home, thank him.
When hard times put you down, when bad times knock you down, and when rough times would hold you down, thank him.
You ought to thank him for God can take what looks like defeat and turn it into victory; you ought to thank him. He can take disaster and turn it into triumph; you ought to thank him. He can turn your midnight into day. He can take rotten grapes and turn them into sweet wine. You ought to thank him.
Paul gave us the reason for thanking God for you hear Paul saying in Romans 8:28 “all things work together…” So no matter what your circumstance today you can still say, “Thank you.” I know sometimes it’s hard because we can’t see what God is doing but you can still say, “Thank you.”
I read a story of a woman on vacation that was shopping in the finest stores. One day she saw the most beautiful cup she had ever seen. She went in bought the cup and everyday she would take the cup out and admire it. She would even talk to the cup and say, ’’I’m glad that I found you. You’re one of the most beautiful possessions I have." On her way back home she tried to keep the cup wrapped up, but it was so beautiful to her that she took the cup out and admired its beauty.
And the story goes soon she drifted to sleep, with the cup held fast in her hand. And while she slept, she dreamed, and in her dream the cup talked back to her.
The cup said, "You know, I’m tired of you telling me how beautiful I am. I’m not what I used to be. I once was nothing but clay and dirt until one day a master craftsman came along and took me out of the mire.
I didn’t understand it when he beat me and shaped me. I didn’t understand it when he put me in an oven hotter than you can imagine. I couldn’t imagine why he would paint me and then put me back in the oven.
But you know, I learned to thank that master craftsman because if he had not molded me, I’d be shapeless and without form. If he had not put me in the oven of oppression, I’d have no structure. If he had not put that paint on me, I’d have no color. If he had not put me back in the oven to bake me again, I would fall apart." And so I thank him.
My brothers and sisters you ought to think the master craftsman. Thank God when life to seems to beat you down. Thank him when the heat seems more than you can bear. Thank him when you’re painted in pain. Think him in the oven of oppression. Thank Him.
If I were Spanish I’d say gracias. If I were Japanese I’d say arigato. If I were Scottish I’d say cheers. If I were German I’d say danke schoen. If I were Hebrew I’d say Toda raba. If I were French I’d say Merci beau cop. If I were Swahili I’d say Ahsante.
If I couldn’t say I’d just wave my hand because I can talk I think say “Thank you Jesus, Thank you Lord. Thank you Jesus, Thank you Lord; you’ve brought me from a mighty long way.”
