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1 Thessalonians 5:12-14, But we request of you, brethren, that you appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction, [13] and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Live in peace with one another. [14] We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone.
What a joy to spend these Sunday mornings studying God’s Word together. Paul, in this wonderful epistle to the Thessalonians, has given us lots to think about and apply. He began by thanking God for their faith, love, and hope. He described them as beloved, chosen, and a model church up there in Macedonia between Philippi and Berea. Paul thanked God that they received the Word of God as the Word of God, not the word of men. In chapter 3 he called them his great joy in the ministry. In chapter 4 he called them to walk and please God by pursuing holiness and moral purity and to excel still more. He then encouraged them to not lose hope about those who had died because when Christ comes in the clouds the dead in Christ will rise first and all the living believers will be transformed and caught up or raptured to meet the Lord in the air. In chapter 5 he instructed them about the coming Day of the Lord which will take the world by complete surprise. But Paul assured them and all believers that God hasn’t destined us for wrath but to salvation through Christ. What a rich doctrinal and practical epistle this is.
From teaching us to stay alert and look for the Lord’s return, Paul now turns to intensely practical instruction for the here and now with the best counsel for nurturing a blessed church. I love hearing people saying, “I love this church.” For most of us here, Sunday morning is the highlight of the week. I hope you’re committed to doing all you can by God’s grace to make this church a blessed church, a healthy and spiritually nurturing church, a church who pursues love and holiness. I hope you love God-honoring worship and preaching and the teaching of God’s Word. I hope you are praying and giving and encouraging others in this church. If you love Christ and His Word, this church is for you. This is not a perfect church. If you ever find a perfect church, don’t join it. You’ll ruin it. As John MacArthur said, “Fallen and sinful people make up the church.” But this is a local body of believers where you can learn and grow to become more like Christ and be a blessing to one another.
A blessed church – that’s what Paul is talking about in this passage. He gives us three ways to nurture a blessed church: appreciate and esteem your leaders, practice peacemaking, and care for one another.
APPRECIATE AND ESTEEM YOUR LEADERS – vs. 12-13a.
1 Thessalonians 5:12, But we request of you, brethren, that you appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction, 13a and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Live in peace with one another.
Another way of saying this is love your leaders. This is probably the number one issue for the health and life of the body of Christ. John MacArthur assures us, “Nothing is more devastating to the spiritual progress of a church than an unwholesome relationship between the shepherds and the sheep.”
The Bible has various titles for leaders of the church: elders, overseers (bishops), shepherds, and leaders. The Scriptures are clear that there should be a plurality of elders or leaders in the church. First Timothy 3 gives qualifications of leaders as godly men who are able to teach, morally qualified, and above reproach in their community. Some of the most grievous times in churches are when leaders betray the trust of the congregation. Immorality, financial shenanigans, abuse of authority – all these and more have brought untold hurt and anguish to God’s people.
Along with elders are deacons who assist the leaders with specific tasks to oversee the functioning of the church and serve under the oversight of the elders. Our deacons and others meet regularly to discuss the physical needs of the building. We greatly appreciate our deacons. Teachers are also shepherds of their little flocks, whether toddlers, juniors, middle schoolers, teens, and young adults. All put their shoulders to the spiritual labors of the church and we are immensely grateful for them.
Now, Paul tells you what to expect from your leaders. Verse 12 says you should expect hard work, diligent labor. Some people think a pastor works two or three hours a week and spends the rest of his time fishing or on the golf course. You may have heard about the pastor who called in sick one Sunday morning and then went out and played a round of golf and got a hole in one on the first hole. Poor fellow. Who was he going to tell?
Paul says a shepherd or elder or teacher or deacon should be willing to put in the time and energy necessary to do the work of his ministry well and to the glory of God. Calvin put it beautifully, “All idle bellies are excluded from the number of pastors.” To labor is to pour your heart and soul into it. You don’t just wing it. You prepare and execute to the best of your ability. Why? First, because you’re serving the Lord. Second, because God’s sheep deserve a good meal when they come to feed.
Paul uses the same word for “diligently labor” in this description of his ministry.
Colossians 1:28-29, We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ. 29 For this purpose I also labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.
Pray for your elders. I have no doubt that we want to be faithful servants of Christ. Leading the church requires spiritual discipline. Discipline to pray, to study, to visit, to plan and schedule. It’s too easy to fritter time away. A faithful pastor is going to be a reader. One veteran pastor wrote, “Read or get out of the ministry!” John Wesley tore into one of his young preachers with these words, “What has exceedingly hurt you in time past, nay, and I fear to this day, is want of reading. I scarce ever knew a preacher to read so little.” The great evangelist George Whitefield preached about 1,000 times a year, which averages over three times a day! Spurgeon read six books a week and preached 200-500 times a year.
You should expect your leaders to lead diligently. Paul says they have charge over you in the Lord. Godly leaders are responsible to watch over your souls and help you grow in Christ.
Hebrews 13:17, Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.
You want to make this task for your leaders a matter of joy. Sometimes hard things must be said. Corrections must be made. Paul directs Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:24-25 to be kind, patient, and gentle when correcting someone. Someone comes up with an idea. Let’s say they want to donate a Santa Claus, sleigh, and two reindeer for the front yard. The elders consider it about 3 seconds and they have to say in a gentle way, “Thanks, but no thanks.” This is leadership. I’m so blessed to be part of the elders of this church. Here are men who have different gifts, different personalities, but all are committed to honoring Christ and providing godly, biblical leadership.
Part of the elders’ responsibility is to discern men who are gifted, mature spiritually, and on board with the values and direction of our church. He must have a heart for God and God’s people. The worst thing a church can do is put people in leadership positions who have all kinds of managerial or financial skills but lack hearts for Christ. A deadly scenario for a church is to bring an unsaved man into the leadership, whether elders or deacons. We trust God to raise up leaders who meet the qualifications God has given us.
You should expect your leaders to work hard, to diligently lead the flock into good grazing and growth with discipline and discernment, and to give solid biblical counsel. Verse 12 says, “and give you instruction.” This is that wonderful word nouthesia, which means to place in the mind or as A. T. Robertson explains, “To put sense into the heads of people.” The idea is they bring God’s Word to bear on your life. This is the word Dr. Jay Adams used when he launched the biblical counseling movement back in the 1970s. He called it “nouthetic counseling.” It means applying God’s truth to life. We fully and firmly believe God has given us in the Scriptures all we need for life and godliness, and the leaders of our church are committed to this. Paul used it in Colossians 1:28g, “teaching and admonishing one another.” Paul says this ministry of giving solid biblical counsel isn’t limited to leaders. He applied it to the entire church in Romans.
Romans 15:14, And concerning you, my brethren, I myself also am convinced that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able also to admonish one another.
Now, how are you to respond to your leaders? First, you should respect them (ESV), know them (KJV), or appreciate them (NASB). Give them the gift of appreciation. The word is “know.” Be aware of what they do and appreciate them, just like you appreciate your wife. You come home and realize all she does and you say, “Wow, I really appreciate all you do.” Healthy hearts are thoughtful and appreciate what others do. We elders know we don’t lack any appreciation from you and we appreciate your appreciation and prayers!
Second, you should esteem them very highly in love. “Very highly” means exceedingly highly in love. I think you’d agree the love around this church is palpable – you can sense it. We are all to esteem one another in love. When love out of your heart decreases, you can easily grow resentful, get disgruntled over petty things, and become critical. An example of esteeming your leaders in love is how you as a church willingly trusted us to change to two services. Some of you must serve in two services, but you have done that willingly and your giving makes it go smoothly. Keep on appreciating and esteeming your leaders.
Another way to insure this is a blessed church is to practice peacemaking.
PRACTICE PEACEMAKING.
1 Thessalonians 5:13b, Live in peace with one another.
Keep on pursuing peace with one another. “Peace out!” with fist bump. Romans 12:18 says, “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live at peace with all men.” One author said, “Every believer has enough of the flesh in him to divide and wreck any local church.” Only as we are empowered by the Spirit can we develop the love, humility, forbearance, kindness, tender-heartedness, and forgiveness that are indispensable for peace.
Have you ever been in a situation where the peace is suddenly shattered and tension fills the air? I was in a teachers’ training meeting many years ago. A sweet young lady was giving us some teaching tips. Suddenly a gentleman lost his temper and said something very unkind. The whole atmosphere froze. The peace was shattered. That’s when humility and esteeming others above oneself must come in. We went to meet with this man but he remained hostile and eventually we had to remove him from the church under the discipline of Matthew 18.
The Bible is full of peacemaking principles that God expects us to follow. Ephesians 4:1-3 has five of them.
Ephesians 4:1-3, Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, 3 being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Here are the five heart attitudes of a peacemaker.
- Humility instead of pride. Quick to admit their faults and slow to see the faults in others.
- Gentleness instead of harshness. Jesus was gentle and humble of heart.
- Patience instead of pushy and demanding.
- Tolerant and forgiving instead of quickly offended.
- Love instead of self-serving.
You know you have the heart of a peacemaker when you are quick to take the log out of your own eye before trying to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.
The third way to insure this is a blessed church is to care about others.
CARE ABOUT OTHERS.
1 Thessalonians 5:14,We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone.
Paul is urging not just the leaders here but the brothers, the entire church. God will give you opportunity to care for others. We’re all sinners in the midst of sinners. He’ll give you opportunity to help others in the body deal with their sins and weaknesses. God asked Cain, “Where’s your brother?” Cain answered, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” What’s the answer? “Yes!” Galatian 6:1 says if you know someone has fallen in the ditch in their spiritual lives, restore them with the spirit of gentleness. “I couldn’t do that! They’ll get angry at me.” Proverbs 15:1 says, “A gentle answer turns away wrath” and Proverbs 12:18 says, “There is one who speaks rashly like the thrusts of a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.”
Let’s look at the problems Paul highlights here in verse 14 that need the church’s care.
- Unruly. They are rebellious, refusing to submit to leadership, and spreading discontent. Paul says, “Admonish them.” It’s that same word noutheteo, to bring God’s truth to bear on their lives.
- Fainthearted. Literally little-souled. They have fears, doubts, and can’t seem to be able to cast their cares on the Lord. Comfort them. Encourage them. Share some promises from the Word. Pray with them.
- Weak. They aren’t anchored to the Word. They are easily swayed by sin or the world or can’t seem to grasp God’s forgiveness and maybe struggle with guilt. They need help. That’s when Paul says, “Help them.” Help is a neat little word that means to stand opposite them and hold them up. Galatians 6:2 says, ”Bear one another’s burdens and thus fulfill the law of Christ.” Help them through their tough times.
And of course, we are to be patient with everyone just as Christ is with us. Some people do try our patience. “What’s wrong with you people?” someone famously said. “How many times do we need to go over this?” Ever feel that way? Even Jesus said to those who weren’t believing Him, “How long shall I be with you and put up with you?” (Luke 9:41). He didn’t sin, ever, but they were stretching His patience thin. They should have figured it out by now.
This is a blessed church. God has given us great leaders, whether elders, deacons, or otherwise. APPRECIATE AND ESTEEM THEM HIGHLY IN LOVE. God has given us His sufficient Word with answers for all of life’s problems. And God has brought into your life people who can help you to grow, and others you are privileged to serve and help for the glory of Christ. This is a blessed church who desires to exalt Christ and His Word.
If you aren’t a genuine Christian, what better place and time for you to humble your heart before God, repent of going your own way, and believe that Jesus came to save sinners. We pray that God will give you a new heart, new eyes for you to see your sin and the grace and mercy of God in Christ Jesus. If you need to talk with someone about your relationship with Christ or an issue in your life, talk with any of our leaders. Thursday is Thanksgiving. What a great time to be especially thankful to God for saving your soul!
Thank you, Lord, for saving my soul,
Thank you, Lord, for making me whole;
Thank you Lord, for giving to me
Thy great salvation so rich and free.