Mini Message 8

26 Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss.

27 I put you under oath before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers.

28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

(I Thessalonians 5)

When these letters were taken to the churches, there was usually one particular person/elder who was appointed to receive the message and read it to the congregation, making sure it was heard by all.  Sometimes he himself may have needed to hear what was being said (like a preacher preaching to himself...)  This was to happen regardless of personal opinion. He was also to pass on the personal greetings included, which here meant everyone in the congregation. So much for social distancing!  But such a person received a great personal blessing as well: the promise of God's grace to enable him to do what he was called to do. This overrode any hesitancy to carry out this commission - as one song used to say: there is nothing like the thrill of being used of God.  

Mini-Message #7

Brothers, pray for us. (I Thessalonians 5:25)
The letters of Paul (and his comrades) are filled with introductory, spontaneous, and concluding prayers for the recipients, but they were never so proud as to think they themselves were beyond the need for prayer.  In fact, it is as if they are almost begging God's people to pray for them.  Regardless of all the revelations, teachings, and activities in which God had used them, they knew they needed His grace, blessing and strength more. Whenever someone tells me as I pastor they are praying for me, I take it seriously and sincerely; I need it.  May we each have that mindset and heartbeat: "please pray for me."

Mini-Message #6

 22 Abstain from every form of evil.
23 Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.  (I Thessalonians 5)
In the verses preceeding this, the missionary trio had challenged this church to maintain a growing but pure theology - that they would continue to grow and be stretched in their faith, yet show doctrinal discernment in what they accepted. Here the challenge is that of practical holiness - that we continue to be santified, purified, and cleansed in mind, body and spirit.  This process is to continue throughout our lives until Christ comes for us or we go to be with Him, and it will be completed when He returns. How do we know this? Because Christ, the Son, is Faithful just like His Father. We can trust Him to complete what He has begun. His very character assures it. The only question is our willingness in the process. Will we devote ourselves to abstaining from every form of evil in our thinking, speech and actions? Will we be as faithful to our call as God is faithful to us?

Mini-Message # 5

19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies, 21 but test everything; hold fast what is good. (I Thessalonians 5)
Strange things can happen in the Christian life.  At first, new believers often cannot get enough study, worship and fellowship.  They are open to everything, and need "parenting" in Christ.  But then we often become comfortable and confident in what we already know and have experienced and slow down in our growth. Sadly, many grow into "spiritual adolescence" and never fully grow.  We come to a plateau where we are content to cruise along, while God wants to prepare us daily for the coming days and for eternity to come. So our teaching trio of Paul, Silas and Timothy exhort us to remain open to what the Hoy Spirit is still trying to say and do. Keep on listening to sermons and Bible Studies. Consider what your brothers and sisters are saying as they grow.  Yes, be discerning; don't fall for every wild idea that comes along; hold fast to the truth. But don't stop growing. Keep seeking Christ. 

Mini Message #4

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (I Thessalonians 5)
This passage, like Micah 6:8, is almost a three-point sermon in one verse. It is also one often put to tune, memorized, and memorialized. In other words, we can begin to recite it without actually grabbing hold of it's simple, profound truth. Rejoice always, no matter they situation, even if we are struggling or suffering persecution like these beleivers were. Pray without ceasing, as in "at all times", bad and good, exciting and routine. God is often the most ignored person in the room; He is there, but we talk with everyone who enters, but Him.  Give thanks in all circumstances, which in a way brings us back to the first exhortation.  How easily we fall into complaining about so many things we do not have or do have to do.  Let's not be so forgetful about all God's blessings, and let us view every challenge as an opportunity for Him to show his powerful, loving hand again.  When we learn to do the above, we do gain confidence that we are in the perfect will of God, and there is no place better we can be.

Mini Message #3

15 See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone.  (I Thessalonians 5)
This missionary trio has presented a major production of truth, and is now concluding with some small individual min-messages on other issues.  One major issue in our lives and therefore the church is The Blame Game. When we live life with others, there is often friction, and things do not always go "our way." Rather than come to "one mind" people often turn on each other. This is diametrically opposed to the Spirit of the Body of Christ.  We should always want, speak, and do what is good for one another.  When we fail, when life does not go our way, when someone hurts our feelings, our goal should not be to retaliate or make someone else look bad so we look better; we should seek good.  Once we "practice on one another" such love and grace, it will be much easier to do so toward a not-so-forgiving world, which desperately needs to see Christ at work.  Let's show the world what Christ can do.

Mini-Message #2

14 And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. (I Thessalonians 5)
As Paul, Silas and Timothy continue to wrap up this letter, they also want to say a few words about how we deal with our brothers and sisters in Christ who are struggling in their spiritual lives.  How do we "spur them on", as the writer of Hebrews tells us? It means we are willing to warn them about where idleness leads - to gossip and all sorts of other "no good"ness.  But is also means that we step in alongside them and encourage them, lend a helping hand, and being patient with them, as God is with us.  We cannot do one without the other. If we do not warn them, but only encourage, they will not take the situation seriously; if we only warn but do not come alongside them, we will be a clanging cymbal of self-rightousness they do not want to listen to.  May we be balanced as we seek to spur one another on - for their good, and that of the whole body.

Mini-Message #1

12 We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, 13 and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. (I Thessalonians 5)
As Paul, Silas and Timothy wrap up this letter, they have covered the main topics of concern, but there are still a few "mini-messages" they would have shared if time allowed.  The first one is "How to Treat Your Local Church Leaders". Some of the things said in this letter might bring an "ouch" to some people in the congregation. Don't shoot the messengers; they are only passing on the truth we need to hear. Honor and love them as fellow brothers and more; they sacrifice in ways we often do not see.  Most of all, live peacefully with other members of the congregation; nothing hurts a servant-leader more than seeing brothers and sisters in Christ turn on each other and do the Devil's work for him. He seeks to divide and conquer, and we shouldn't give him such an easy time of it. Treat your pastors/elders/leaders well. This will honor Christ. 

Ready for The Return

Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. 2 For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. 4 But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. 5 For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. 6 So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. 9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. (I Thessalonians 5)
How to be ready for something that will catch everyone by surprise.  When life is chaotic, everyone expects the End to come. It is when everything settles back down that we become most vulnerable.  The suddenness of The Day means that we must first of all be Alert at all times, looking and ready for Christ to return. Secondly, we need Armor, not to protect ourselves from Him, but to live life daily as we wait. This armor, however, his not metal, but spiritual: faith, love, and hope.  It's interesting how Paul's letters tailor-fit the churches. In his letter to Corinth he has the order as faith, hope, and love, when love is the one they most lacked. Here "hope" is in last place, because though they demonstrated all three, the one the needed more of was hope.  Finally we need one Another - to encourage and build each other up in our faith.  Looking for Christ to come for us should not be a selfish thing where we are willing to leave each other behind.  We should care that others are strong and stable, and continue to reach out to those outside the body of Christ to come be ready as well.  How ready are we really?

Comforted about them...

13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 15 For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.
(I Thessalonians 4)
This is a paragraph I have preached on often at funerals about what I call "The Great Reunion," the reuniting of the people of God who are present with those who have gone on before, at the coming of Christ.  The purpose of Paul and his teammates in writing this letter was to encourage believers to look forward in hope, and not give up because life for them was difficult or because their loved ones in the Lord had passed away before Christ's return.  The emphasis is on the latter.  We will grieve when a loved one passes from the earth, but that grief will not be hopeless when we and then trust in Christ. We know that they are safe in His care and we will be reunited with them, but especially with Jesus.

More than the Loving Thing...

9 Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another, 10 for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more, 11 and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, 12 so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one. (I Thessalonians 4)
The writers have commented on and complimented the love the Thessalonians were demonstrating to one another.  They needed to keep it up, but they also needed (and we as well) to spread it wider.  Love means that we pursue peace in the body of Christ; love means that we are not a nosey gossips; love means we work hard so theat we have something to give fellow believers in need. We never can get to the point that we love too much. 

Live Differently Now

4 Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, 5 not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; 6 that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. 7 For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. 8 Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you. (I Thessalonians 4)
We know where we are going in this chapter: these guys are going to give one of the best known talks about the coming again of Christ. But more importantly, they want to talk first about how we live now - how we walk. God wants us to live differently than before we came to Christ, differently than the world around us, differently than we often naturally react when under pressure. That means a number of things: sexual purity, self-control, and an obvious presence of the Holy Spirit guiding our lives.  It's our calling, what' we're made for, and we don't want to mess with that.  Our main aim is to please God. 

A Pause to Pray

11 Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you, 12 and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, 13 so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints. (I Thessalonians 3)
The words written here may strike us as a concluding prayer at then end of a letter, but we are only halfway through.  Paul had a habit of doing so - getting part way through writing, then pausing to pray for the recipients of the letter. Often, like here, it includes a word of blessing. In chapter 1 he had already given thanks for the love evidenced in their congregation; now he prays for more of it. But he sees even beyond that to th purpose of such poured out love: it is evidence that God is transforming them from within, giving them confident hearts and holy lives that are ready for Christ to come.  Endurance is Evidence. He wants to see them now because he wants to see them when Christ comes. When our focus is on where we want to be, we know better how to pray today. Talk with God about what is really important. Ask Him where He wants you to be. Then ask Him what acts of faith, hope and love will take you that way. 

The Power of Face to Face

6 But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us the good news of your faith and love and reported that you always remember us kindly and long to see us, as we long to see you— 7 for this reason, brothers, in all our distress and affliction we have been comforted about you through your faith. 8 For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord. 9 For what thanksgiving can we return to God for you, for all the joy that we feel for your sake before our God, 10 as we pray most earnestly night and day that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith? (I Thessalonians 3)
Recent months have proven the importance of face to face connection. Finally, after months of only hit and miss reports, the missionary band had released Timothy to go to this church for a visit. He was able to bring back a quick face-to-face report.  When he did, he brought back joy, and a better sense of how to pray for and encourage them.  Face-to-face reminds us how much we care and are cared for; it encourages us that we are not alone. Let us be thankful today for those face-to-face encounters, and let us seek out those who need them. Otherwise, we'll never know how much joy God can bring through us. 

Loving by What We Give Up

Therefore when we could bear it no longer, we were willing to be left behind at Athens alone, 2 and we sent Timothy, our brother and God's coworker in the gospel of Christ, to establish and exhort you in your faith, 3 that no one be moved by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are destined for this. 4 For when we were with you, we kept telling you beforehand that we were to suffer affliction, just as it has come to pass, and just as you know. 5 For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to learn about your faith, for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our labor would be in vain. (I Thessalonians 3)
Paul and his missionary band loved being and serving together. They also loved the congregations of people they helped bring to salvation, exhort with God's Word, and establish as churches.  How could they demonstrate that love to them? By being willing to separate for a time so one of them could come check on them.  It may not sound like a big deal, but Timothy, younger and stronger than Paul, was a very big help to him in ministry. Time and traveling expense was no small matter. The possibility of motives being misread in this kind of situation were real. But it was worth it to Paul and the rest of the team to risk all these things to make sure the Thessalonian beleivers were doing well; they cared that much.  What does it look like - what must we be willing to give up - to show fellow believers we care?  May we do it well. 

Hope: It's What You Live For

17 But since we were torn away from you, brothers, for a short time, in person not in heart, we endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire to see you face to face, 18 because we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, again and again—but Satan hindered us. 19 For what is our hope or joy or crown of  boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? 20 For you are our glory and joy. (I Thessalonians 2)
Absence makes the heart grow fonder.  That is especially true of those who are bonded together in Christ.  This Gospel trio of Paul, Silas and Timothy wanted to get back to Thessalonica to visit with those they had led to Christ, but at that point had not been able to do so. Notice the connection between their hope at Christ's return and their time on earth.  They anticipated, hoped for seeing them when Christ comes back and joins His people all together, which helped fuel their desire to see them in this life as well.  When you think of heaven, and the second coming, is it able the room(mansion), street of Gold, and precious jewels, or is it the people - especially Jesus - whose presence you will enjoy without separation.  Should not our hope for this life also be the same? That the emphasis is not on the stuff we can see, but who we can see and share time with.

The Freedom to Tell and Believe

13 And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers. 14 For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. For you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews, 15 who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out, and displease God and oppose all mankind 16 by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved—so as always to fill up the measure of their sins. But wrath has come upon them at last! 

(I Thessalonians 2)
Harsh, but true.  The Jews had tried to shut Jesus up, then shut the Apostles up, and did the same everywhere the Gospel went.  From God's perspective, that is the greatest injustice ever: to try to keep people from hearing the Best News ever, and to tell those who did hear it to not believe and be transformed by it. But this missionary band did tell, the Thessalonians did believe, and by so doing they became a part of the Church of God from every people group and place.  Judgment will come upon those who try to stop God's plan of "tell and believe", but ultimately it will not succeed: God's people will be freed. 

Free to Walk Our Talk

9 For you remember, brothers, our labor and toil: we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. 10 You are witnesses, and God also, how holy and righteous and blameless was our conduct toward you believers. 11 For you know how, like a father with his children, 12 we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.  (I Thessalonians 2)
Often, as believers, we talk about what we believe, what our convictions are. But do we act upon them.  These three missionaries acted according to what they said.  They worked toward it; they died to self-fulfillment; they walked as citizens of God's Kingdom. Thus, they were able to say: "live like we live, which is the same as we say."  That is a scary venture: to open our lives for scrutiny. But it is also freeing, especially when we all are willing to do so in God's family.  There is no "us versus them" mentality, but a mutual calling to holiness, love and encouragement.  The freedoms we have in Christ are much greater than a freedom of speech, though the freedom to tell others is included with them. May we celebrate our freedom with holiness, proclamation of the Gospel, hard work, and all those things that describe a follower of Christ. Let's Walk our Talk.