READ  1 Thessalonians 5:12-28

Paul saw the local church as a family. Each member was born again, by the Spirit of God, and possessed God's nature. They all were part of God's family. 

What are the essentials for a happy, healthy church family?  How can we make our local churches more spiritual to the glory of God? In this closing section, Paul discussed these matters.

1.  A healthy church respects its leadership: vs. 12-13a.

“And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you: 13 And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake.”

Without leadership, the church would never be effective in its mission. God has ordained leadership for the local church.  In these verses, however, Paul points out the responsibilities of both the pastor and the people.  The pastor is to labor for, shepherd, and admonish the flock, while the church family is to esteem the pastor very highly in love for their work’s sake.

2.  A healthy church values relationships – vs. 13b-15.

We should always maintain patience in our relationships with one another.  None of us are perfect, and we should approach our relationships with that understanding.  We are to be a peace with each other and make certain to never render evil for evil.

Paul encourages a certain rule for strengthening the body of Christ in verse 14, “…warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient with all...”  As you can see:

• We are to warn (admonish & exhort) the unruly (the disorderly & out of step).

• We are to comfort (encourage, console) the feebleminded (little spirited, disheartened).

• We are to support (lean against) the weak (those who are infirmed or weak).

3.  A healthy church focuses upon discipleship – vs. 16-28

Paul closes with a flurry of powerful, direct, and succinct statements. They come like fireworks, one after the other. He reviews a lot of what he's already said and tries to tie up some loose ends. Simply put, he shows us that a healthy church focuses on discipleship.

I want to summarize what Paul is saying by putting this into four main categories.

1. Notice God’s prescription for His people – vs. 16 – 22. God's prescription reads like this: joy, prayer, gratitude, Holy Spirit, truth, good, and righteousness. Trust me, you can read the Great Physician's handwriting here. Then, in verses 21-22, God’s people are to embrace godliness and avoid wickedness. “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. 22Abstain from all appearance of evil.”

2. Notice God’s power in His people; vs. 23a. God shows us His power. He talks about the process of sanctification in our lives, “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly…”

3. Notice God's promise to His people: vs. 23c. Notice the phrase “…unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” As we have seen multiple times, this has been a theme throughout this book. We ought to live considering and remembering the return of Christ. What is our motivation to live as faithful believers in the context of a healthy church? One day we will see Jesus, and it will be worth it all!

4. Notice God’s Presence through His people – vs. 24-26. We notice that true discipleship means that God’s presence works in and through His people. Paul concludes his fireworks display with a few bright blasts. God’s presence leads us to “pray” for one another, to love one another, to encourage one another, and to rest in the “grace of our Lord Jesus Christ…” This is real, genuine fellowship among believers that is only possible through the presence of the Lord. After the corporate worship is ended, believers minister to one another. They greet one another and seek to encourage one another.

May we all do everything in our power to help make our church a healthy church!

Your Friend and HIS,

Pastor Abbott

MEDITATIONS

1.  Do you have the proper attitude towards the leadership in your church?  Explain.

2.  When is the last time you did something to esteem your pastor very highly?  What did you do?

3.  What do you do to maintain healthy relationships in your church?  Do you add to or subtract from the health of your church?

4.  What is your approach to discipleship?  What is discipleship to you?  How can you improve?