It may come as a surprise to some, but when the enemies of Christ come for Christians, they won’t come for the pew-sitters first. They will come for the clergy, the Sunday School teachers, the writers of Christian materials. Lacking understanding that our Head is not some human, but Jesus Himself, they will attempt to silence Christianity by attacking the public ministers. This is why we should be so grateful to them now, because they might not always be with us.

“Now we ask you, brothers, to give recognition to those who labor among you and lead you in the Lord and admonish you,
and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves.
And we exhort you, brothers: warn those who are lazy, (Or undisciplined) comfort the discouraged, help the weak, be patient with everyone.
See to it that no one repays evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good for one another and for all.

“Rejoice always! Pray constantly. Give thanks in everything, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Don’t stifle the Spirit. Don’t despise prophecies, but test all things. Hold on to what is good. Stay away from every form of evil.

“Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely. And may your spirit, soul, and body be kept sound and blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.
Brothers, pray for us also. Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss. I charge you by the Lord that this letter be read to all the brothers.
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you!”  1 Thessalonians 5:12-28

I love the word “pastor” for ministers because I speak Spanish (badly) and the word means “shepherd” in Spanish.  Throughout the Hebrew Scriptures, the Israelites were depicted as God’s flock, so that leaders of the flock would be considered shepherds.  In this passage, Paul gives instructions to the congregation in how to treat their pastors and other congregation members.

My friend Sylvia grew up on a sheep station in Australian. She tells me that her father and uncles hire shepherds to watch the sheep, keeping them safe from dingos (Australia doesn’t have a wide variety of predators, but the ones they have are cunning).  The shepherds rarely own the sheep; they work for the master. In this, they are an archetype for pastors, who should never delude themselves into thinking the congregation belongs to them. Pastors are merely God’s servants. Jesus Christ is the true Master of the flock.

Ministers of the gospel are called to serve and honor the Lord. Their duty is to give good counsel, to warn the congregation of dangers, and give correction when things are amiss. The congregation should honor and love their pastors, respecting their ministry of evangelism and discipleship.  This does not set the pastor as dictator over the congregation. Churches function best when they follow a New Testament pattern of the entire church being involved in ministry.  Pastors are only guides. Being a Baptist by membership and therefore congregational in mind-set, I consider the pastor and the congregation to be co-laborers, each with strengths that God can utilize.  I would never be a member of a church where the pastor drives the ministry, because I feel that the ongoing congregation should give that sort of direction, but I would also not be a member of a church where the pastor is not respected for his abilities in his areas of responsibility. I find support for this stance in today’s passage.

Paul mentioned specifically that the congregation is responsible to be at peace among themselves doing all they can to guard against any differences. The desire for peace must not make us wink at sin, however.  Congregations (not the pastor, but the people who make up the membership of the church) are called to discipline one another through Christian accountability.  A former pastor of mine used to joke that people would see him coming and say “Here comes Dave; let’s act saved.”  We are often much more “real” with our friends in the congregation than we are with the pastor. It makes sense that the church members are responsible for accountability among their own group.

Furthermore, we are accountable to God for duties we have within the church.  What should be our response to lazy church members?  These may be folks who refuse to work a steady job, or those who refuse to do their part around the church.  Church members should provide accountability for such folks, not because we want to be mean, but because working a job or cleaning the church are services we can do for the Lord that help to build our characters. All Christians should participate.

I admit to having little or no patience with mourners or scaredy-cats.  Alaska doesn’t suffer the faint-hearted. I can encounter a moose in my driveway on any given morning. Moose are plant-eating undulates who will stomp you to death if you annoy them. We respect them, but we don’t fear them.  Furthermore, my farm-girl mother taught me that death is a part of living. We mourn, often in private, and we move on. Therefore, in neither of these instances do I have great compassion for some folks. This does not mean that I don’t show compassion. God has helped me “fake” it many times. I understand that life is scary for some people and those others (or, more often, the same) need to rend their clothes and weep for weeks when a loved one dies. Just because I don’t feel the same way doesn’t mean I can’t show tenderness to those who do.

For me, it is much easier to “help the weak.”  I don’t drink in part because I know too many alcoholics in recovery who might be derailed by my freedom.  When a drunken woman showed up at youth activities the other night, my husband left me with her to deal with because he knew that I’d get her home and make sure she was okay without enabling her behavior.  She probably didn’t like the AA pamphlet I left with her, but helping sometimes involves more than just giving someone a ride.  We are always to pursue what is good and healthy for the temple of God that we are and the Body of Christ as a whole.

Christians are called to bear one another’s burdens and to forebear one another’s weaknesses.  We must be long-suffering to all who need it.  We are allowed to feel anger, but we must not sin by returning rage to those who harm us.  This is a high and difficult calling, but it is part of the sanctification process.

We human beings are accustomed to rejoicing when our creature desires are fulfilled. When something makes us truly happy, then we are willing to rejoice. Yet, truly faithful life is one of constant joy. We should rejoice at all times, in every circumstance (Philippians 4:4).  How do we do that, though?  Paul provided the answer.  Pray more!  A constant attitude of prayer will improve all lawful behavior and increase the harvest of every good work. If we pray constantly, we will easily see thanksgiving in every thing. While in communion with God, we are more likely to see reason to give thanks for sparing and preventing, for common and uncommon, past and present, temporal and spiritual mercies. Not only would we rejoice for prosperous and pleasing things, but also for afflictions, chastisements and corrections. Yes, this is as important as rejoicing over the “fun” things, for God designs everything for our benefit, though we may not see it at the time.

Quench not the Spirit!  What does that mean? Christians are said to be baptized with the Holy Ghost and with fire. He works as fire, by enlightening, enlivening, and purifying the souls. A fire can be quenched with water or earth and metaphorically, the Holy Spirit can be so quenched by indulging carnal lusts and affections, minding only earthly things. Believers often hinder our own growth in Christ by not giving ourselves over to the Holy Spirit’s guidance in our heart. I know people who will reject any prophesies, yet will eagerly listen to a sermon that interprets and applies the Scriptures, not recognizing this as prophesy (Acts 15).  We must not despise preaching, but we should test it. We must search the Scriptures to prove the correctness of what we are told and we should reject that which differs from Scripture. This can be a controversial statement, because some would have us believe that the congregation should never question the pastor, but if the pastor seems to be preaching a gospel other than what the Bible teaches, we are called to correct him.  This is the antidote for heretical teaching, that teachers are correctable.

We should abstain from sin, what leads to it, and what borders upon it. He who is not shy of the appearance of sin, who does not shun the occasion of it, and who doesn’t avoid temptation and approaches to it, will not long keep from doing sin. James warned that the entertainment of sin leads to sin itself.

Paul concluded this letter very briefly, perhaps aware that he would be writing to the Thessalonians again in a matter of weeks or perhaps because his courier was waiting.  The apostle prayed that they might become more perfect in Jesus Christ.  This process of sanctification (becoming more like Jesus) remakes our spirits, minds and bodies in this process.  Of course we must remain faithful in order to continue progressing toward Christ-like perfection.  We will fall, because we are human, but God is faithful to help us to that goal, if we will continue to bend our will to His.

Paul asked for the Thessalonians to pray for him and his companions.  We should pray for one another.  In the Middle East of that time, as now, it was not unusual for people to greet one another with a kiss.  There was no sexual content to this. It was a sign of affection.  Our 21^st Century equivalent might be a hug or a slap on the shoulder.

Note: This epistle was to be read to all the brethren. It wasn’t just for an elite class of clergy or the elders.  It was for the entire congregation.  Not only are the lay-people of the church allowed to read the Scriptures, but it is our duty to do so.  We should be encouraging one another to read and study the Scripture. The word of God should not be kept in an unknown tongue, but translated into as many languages as we have, so that all who are interested may be able to read them. The Scriptures should be read in all public congregations, for the benefit of the unlearned especially.  My son is a 3^rd grader who is struggling to learn to read, but he often surprises us with his Bible knowledge. He hasn’t read it for himself yet, but he has heard it and it lives in his young Christian heart.

We need no more than Jesus Christ to make us rejoice, He is an ever-flowing and an overflowing fountain of grace to supply all our wants.  We must make the effort to daily turn to Him and allow that fountain to fill our souls.  Prayer, Bible study, contemplating the things of God – this is how we bring the grace of God into our lives.

These things are our responsibility. It is not the work of pastors or priests. We have no intermediary between us and Jesus Christ.  We are personally responsible before Him and our life's work is to pursue the knowledge of Christ and walk in His ways. 

The youth of my Sunday School class want to study Revelation.  They want to know about the future.  In this, they are no different from the Thessalonians, who wanted to know all about Jesus’ return.  Paul moved from what happens to Christians when they die to what happens when Jesus returns and we’re still alive.

We in the 21^st Century United States spend a lot of ink and time speculating on the “end times”.  In fact, I think my very first inkling that there was actually something in the Bible worth reading was Hal Lindsey’s “The Late Great Planet Earth” on the end times. I didn’t read it, but I saw it often on the bookstore shelves. I might have been in the 7^th or 8^th grade. I would say I didn’t read it because I wasn’t a Christian at the time, but I know a lot of non-Christians were buying the book. I suspect I didn’t read it because before I was a Christian I scoffed at the things of God and after I became a Christian I didn’t need Hal Lindsey to tell me what was in the Bible I could read for myself. It seems a part of human nature for us to wonder about the future.

“About the times and the seasons: brothers, you do not need anything to be written to you. For you yourselves know very well that the Day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. When they say, “Peace and security,” then sudden destruction comes on them, like labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you, brothers, are not in the dark, so that this day would overtake you like a thief.

"For you are all sons of light and sons of the day. We’re not of the night or of darkness. So then, we must not sleep, like the rest, but we must stay awake and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. But since we are of the day, we must be sober and put the armor of faith and love on our chests, and put on a helmet of the hope of salvation. Isaiah 59:17

"For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or  asleep, we will live together with Him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up as you are already doing.  1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

I love a good end-times book or movie myself (although the Left Behind series has stretched out too long, so my attention has waned), but in reality, Paul told the Thessalonians that it is useless to ask about the particular time of Christ's coming because Christ did not reveal this to the apostles. There are times and seasons for us to work in, and these are our duty and interest to know and observe; but as to the time when we must give account for our good works, it isn’t necessary for us to know. The coming of Christ will be a great surprise to us. How do we know this? Our Lord Himself said so (Matthew 24:36-44; Luke 12:35-40). None of us can predict when a thief will break into our homes. We’ll be snuggled under our quilts dreaming of Hawaii when it happens and it will utterly stun us.  This is the same as with Jesus’ return.  The world will seem lovely and peaceful, perhaps, to those who are not expecting Him on the day that Jesus comes and people will be surprised by it.  And, the birth-pangs of the new world will sweep over our planet like labor pains taking a pregnant woman. Trust me, men and childless women, you don’t know anything about being overwhelmed until you’ve been in labor.  There will be no means for those who are not ready to escape the terror or the punishment of that day.  However, the day will be a happy day for Christians, who have been made right by Jesus. We are not in darkness; we are the children of the light. Judgment Day will be a celebration day for all true Christians.

Paul warned, however, that Christians should not be surprised when it happens.  We are children of the light and so should not be surprised when the light comes on.  We should always be prepared for the Lord’s return.  Paul used a curious word “sober.”  Now, sober can mean reserved and thoughtful, but it also means not to be drunk.  This is the connotation Paul gave to it when writing to the Thessalonians.  He noted that sluggards and drunks both engage in their preferred activities at night. Since we are not children of the night, Christians should not participate in the activities of the night.  Let us endeavor to awaken ourselves and each other, and guard against our spiritual enemies. We should not be lulled by the world into thinking that this is all that there is.

Paul further alluded to a topic he would develop further in a later letter – the armor of God.  He only mentioned love, faith and the helmet of salvation here, but in Ephesians 6:4-17 he would further develop his metaphor.  As Christians we have come to Jesus by faith and are protected by our salvation. We are to be engaged in love as Paul had discussed with the Thessalonians earlier in the letter

Most of mankind does not consider the things of another world at all, because they are asleep; or they do not consider them aright, because they sleep and dream. Our moderation as to all earthly things should be known to all men. Shall Christians, who have the light of the blessed gospel shining in our faces, be careless about our souls, and unmindful of another world? We need the spiritual armor, or the three Christian graces, faith, love, and hope. Faith; if we believe that the eye of God is always upon us, that there is another world to prepare for, we shall see reason to watch and be sober. True and fervent love for God and the things of God will keep us watchful and sober. If we have hope of salvation, let us take heed of anything that would shake our trust in the Lord. We have ground on which to build unshaken hope when we consider that salvation is by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, to atone for our sins and to ransom our souls. We should join in prayer and praise with one another. We should set a good example among the congregation. This is the best means to answer the end of society. Thus we shall learn how to live for Jesus, with whom we hope to live for ever.

The kids in the youth group want to know how the world will end, but they aren’t so interested in learning to live as if that ending might be this afternoon.  A part of basic human nature is to want to catch hold of the future, to grasp some fragment of that which we finite beings cannot truly know. Yet, we should consider less what the future will hold and more whether we will be ready for it when it comes. There are no college courses that will prepare us for this one-of-a-kind advancement in the human race. We can only work for Jesus, learn from His Scriptures and be prepared for that unknown time when we will be caught up in the clouds with Him.

Are you ready? Are you watching?  It could be this afternoon!

A former pastor of mine was a military chaplain in Vietnam.  Several times during his tenure there, he performed funerals for American service men who were married to Vietnamese women, but he also did a handful of services for South Vietnamese soldiers who were killed on American-led missions.  He told a story of how he conducted two funerals in one day. In one, the wife threw herself on the coffin, wailing and scratching, and had to be dragged back to prevent hurting herself.  His translator said this was fairly common mourning within the Vietnamese community.  In the second, the wife sat quietly, tears streaming down her face.  My pastor did not speak wonderful Vietnamese, but he noted at the conclusion of the funeral, the wife went up and patted her husband’s arm, removed a thread from his dress uniform and said something JD recognized as “Go on now. I’ll see you there.”  He asked his translator to speak with the woman and he learned that she and her husband were Christians.  The translator himself was a Buddhist, but he noted after their conversation with the Christian woman that “They are always so calm, like they think they will see each other again.”  JD couldn’t help grinning as he told his translator, “Ah, but they will!”

“We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, concerning those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who have no hope.
Since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, in the same way God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep through Or asleep in Jesus.  For we say this to you by a revelation from the Lord: We who are still alive at the Lord’s coming will certainly have no advantage over those who have fallen asleep.
For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the archangel’s voice, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
Then we who are still alive 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.
Therefore encourage Or comfort one another with these words.  1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Paul offered comfort to the relations and friends of those who die in the Lord. Grief for the death of friends is lawful; we may weep for our own loss, though it may be their gain. They’ve gone to be with the Lord, which is to their great joy, but we will still miss them and, thus, we sorrow.  Christianity does not forbid, and grace does not disconnect, our natural affections. Yet we must not dwell in our sorrows, for this resembles too much those who have no hope of a future after death. Death is an unknown thing in that we know little about the state after death, thus it is frightening.  Yet the doctrines of the resurrection and the second coming of Christ are a remedy against the fear of death, and undue sorrow for the death of our Christian friends.  We may have full assurance of these doctrines. Although the abiding joy in heaven will be standing in the presence of the Lord, seeing Him, living with Him and communicating with Him in a way we can only glimpse today, a secondary joy will be that all Christian will meet and remain together forever.  In times of sorrow, we should support one another with this knowledge, which does not deny sorrow or grief, but gives us hope.

Note that Paul made a distinction that we also must make.  He is discussing “those who have fallen asleep in Christ.”  Even in the 1^st Century, people were well acquainted with death. In fact, they were more acquainted than we are, since dying usually happened in the home, not in a segregated hospital. There was no question those discussed had died.  All people die. But Paul described dead Christians as asleep in Jesus. Death does not annihilate us. It is but a sleep to the Christian. They have retired out of this troublesome world to undisturbed rest from all their labors and sorrows. They shall be raised up from the dead, and awakened out of their sleep, for God will bring them with Him. They then are with God, and are better where they are than when they were here; and when God comes He will bring them with Him as He gathers those Christians still living to Him.

Paul mentioned those who have no hope and this is one reason that he did not want the Thessalonians to be ignorant of what happens after death. Non-Christians have no hope of awakening in the glorious presence of the Lord.  A different fate awaits those whose spirits have never been kindled to life.  Christians enter heaven at the time of the death because our spirits have been made alive through faith in Jesus Christ. That is the critical difference between Christians and non-Christians.

The death and resurrection of Christ are fundamental articles of the Christian faith, and give us hope of a joyful resurrection; for Christ, having risen from the dead, has lead the way for all who dwell in Christ; and therefore Christian who die may be thought of as asleep and not at risk of perishing or being lost. Christ’s resurrection is a full confirmation of the gospel, which has brought life and immortality to light.

I leave off today with sage advice from the Christian group, Superchic(k):

Waking up to another dark morning
People are mourning
The weather in life outside is storming
But what would it take for the clouds to break
For us to realize each day is a gift somehow, someway?
So get our heads up out of the darkness
And spark this new mindset and start to live life cuz it ain't gone yet
And tragedy is a reminder to take off the blinders
And wake up and live the life we're supposed to take up
Moving forward with all our heads up cuz life is worth living

We live we love
We forgive and never give up
Cuz the days we are given are gifts from above
And today we remember to live and to love

Death comes to all of us and at some point in our lives we will mourn.  But every day is a gift from above, so we should live it and allow those who have passed to Christ before us to dwell in gentle memories and not in horrible sadness.  We will see one another again.

“About brotherly love: you don’t need me to write you because you yourselves are taught by God to love one another. In fact, you are doing this toward all the brothers in the entire region of Macedonia. But we encourage you, brothers, to do so even more, to seek to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, so that you may walk properly in the presence of outsiders and not be dependent on anyone.”  1 Thessalonians 4:9-12

This was Paul’s very first ministerial letter, as far as we know. In it, he spent considerable effort praising the Thessalonian Christians for their walk as Christians. He praised their steadfast in persecution and the fact that their witness had been noted by those around them. He praised their love for one another.  He encouraged them to grow in those things that are praise-worthy.

We should notice what is good in others and praise it, to encourage more of it. The other day I was sitting in my car awaiting my lovely freshman as she finished up in the high school and I got to listen to a group of teens talking with one another.  They seemed to outdo one another in put-downs.  I don’t remember that sort of trash talk when I was in school – not to that extent, not among friends. It seems as though we are less grateful for the skills of others today than we were in, say, my father’s day.  I remember my father, a professional chef, praising the baking of a coworker. They so admired one another’s skills that they began their own “school”, teaching each other those skills.  I find it difficult to believe those teenagers would do that.  Paul did not so much as command the Thessalonians to love their neighbors, but he commended them that they were doing it already and asked them to do it more. He acknowledged that this was not so much their own effort, but God’s work within them.  Echoing James, Paul reminded his readers that nothing good lives in us except what comes from God.

All those saved by God are taught by the Holy Spirit to love one another. A hallmark of Christians, we are commanded repeatedly by Jesus, John, Paul and Peter (and possibly Barnabas or Apollos) to love the brethren (John 13:34-35; Romans 12:10, Hebrews 10:12; I Peter 1:22; I John 3:11).  It is something we should feel at a visceral level, because we are empowered by the Holy Spirit to love one another.  Empowered by their relationship with Jesus, the Thessalonians were spreading their agape love throughout Macedonia, so that all around them recognized them for and by their love for their fellow Christians. Paul recognized that none of us on this side of heaven can love in perfection. There will always be difficulty in exercising any of God’s graces. But, we are called to strive for perfection (Philippians 3:12-15), working to become more Christ-like in all our ways.

The teaching of the Spirit exceeds the teachings of men, which is vain and useless unless empowered by God. Those remarkable for love or any other grace need to increase therein, as well as to persevere to the end.  It is sometimes hard to love our fellow Christians. There’s an independent Baptist church in our town that has a large electronic reader board on a main highway. I’m sure the person responsible for what is on the board seeks only to induce non-Christians to think about their lives and consider Christ as an alternative, but more often than not the sayings that flash across the board are rude and injurious to the cause of Christ. Because I am a Baptist by membership, I am often called upon to defend my fellow Christians at that church. It does no good to explain that I am not a member of that church and would oppose to misuse of the reader board if I were.  It is sometimes hard to love our fellow Christians.

This is one reason a calm and quiet temper is desirable.  I am not blessed with such, but I try to remember to count to 10 before I speak in anger. We are commanded to be angry, but do not sin.  Sometimes we verbally counter-attack all comers when we should exhibit peaceable and quiet behavior. It is in Satan’s interest to trouble and annoy us and if he can do it through our fellow man, particularly our fellow Christian, he will do so.  The human heart is filled with disquiet, which is not of God; therefore let us study to be quiet. Learn to turn aside annoyance, confronting it when needed so as not to let it take root, but not bearing grudges toward one another, for the sake of Christ.  This is accomplished by contemplating Christ-like quiet within our souls.

This does not just pertain to anger issues, but also to gossips.  Busybodies, meddling in other folks’ matters, have little quiet in their own minds, and greatly disturb their neighbors. This comes from not minding their own calling, most often to work with their own hands. Christianity does not take us from the work and duty of our particular callings, but teaches us to be diligent therein. Laziness toward good honest work only leads to want and a culture of interference in the lives of others; while those who diligent in their own business earn their own bread and can find great pleasure in their accomplishments (Colossians 3:23).

Although we must always be careful to follow God’s commands rather than the expectations of people, Christians should live creditably in this world.  By this, I mean, we should deal honestly with others and be decent and forthright even with those who are enemies of the faith.  Like a gem-cut diamond in an exquisite setting, Christians who are meek and quiet of spirit, who focus upon their own business and do not meddle in the affairs of others, draw attention to themselves by their rarity.  Christian need not strive to “keep up with the Jones”, but should live comfortably within their economic means and be content with what God has given them (Philippians 4:11-12; 1 Timothy 6:8). By working for our own living, we do not have time to get into mischief with our enemies and are not burdensome to our friends.

Such behavior speaks for itself.  Christians in the 1^st Century did not need to advertise their Christianity. It was clear to those around them, and had been reported to Paul via Timothy, that there had been a sea-change in their lives.  Christians in the 21^st Century ought to consider this and ask ourselves, “Are we doing as well?” Is it possible that part of what is wrong with our world today is that Christians are not doing all that they could in these areas?  It is a question each of us ought to ask ourselves and then do what we can individually to meet God’s standards. We do not serve ourselves or, for that matter, those around us, so much as we serve God by serving those around us.

Am I doing all that I can in service for the Lord? Do I do all that I do – including the things I don’t like to do – as unto the Lord?  These are questions we should ask ourselves and, upon the answer, obey God to our fullest.

For Christians, to abide in the faith of the gospel is not enough; we must abound in the work of faith.  The Thessalonians had already received some teaching from Paul and his companions. Now they needed more, for the world that they inhabited is much like our own – full of temptation.

“Finally then, brothers, we ask and encourage you in the Lord Jesus, that as you have received from us how you must walk and please God—as you are doing —do so even more. For you know what commands we gave you through the Lord Jesus.

"For this is God’s will, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality, so that each of you knows how to possess his own vessel (to control his own body or to acquire his own wife) in sanctification and honor,
not with lustful desires, like the Gentiles who don’t know God. This means one must not transgress against and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger of all these offenses, as we also previously told and warned you. For God has not called us to impurity, but to sanctification.

"Therefore, the person who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who also gives you His Holy Spirit.”  I Thessalonians 4:1-8

The pattern according to which all Christians ought to walk is obedience to God.  Called to act upon the commandments given by the Lord Jesus Christ, it is our duty to become Christ-like.

The Thessalonians had learned from Paul, Silas and Timothy the basics of Christianity and they were doing as they had been taught.  Now Paul asked them to strive toward more maturity in their walk.  We sometimes use a big church word (long-time readers of this blog know I don’t like church words) – sanctification -- to mean the same thing.  We are justified from sin by faith which is a gift from God and not anything we do so that we have no room to boast. Justified is a legal term that means “not guilty”. A not-guilty verdict didn’t mean you did not do the crime. It means that you are declared justified in doing the crime. Faith moves our status as sinners from those found guilty to those found not guilty.  Jesus paid a debt He did not owe so that we wouldn’t have to pay the debt that would destroy us. We owe Him everything. Therefore, we should strive to obey Him, not because we are required to do so, but because we love Him and are grateful for His sacrifice. We are sanctified (made more like Him) by using the faith in our daily lives to become more like Christ.  It’s that good, better, best formula. A good pianist doesn’t become a concert pianist simply by desiring to become one. They must practice, practice, practice. In the act of trying to become a concert pianist, they become a concert pianist. In the act of becoming more Christ-like, we become more Christ-like. While salvation itself is a one-time life-changing event, it does not stop the day we’re saved.  As we continue to live in the Lord, so we continue to grow in the Lord.

Obedience follows many forms.  In Acts 2:41, 8:12-13, 8:36-38, 9:18, 10:48, 16:15, 16:33, 18:8 and 19:5 we see early Christians following their salvation experience with immersion baptism as a first step of obedience.  In some instances, the text mentions that they then settled down to studying the teachings of the apostles, prayer, fellowship and good works.  This is our pattern. In order to grow in Christ, we must be obedient to His commands, renewing our souls under the influence of the Holy Spirit.  God will provide appointed duties for us to attend (I Corinthians 12:4-11). No one of these jobs gets more weight than any other job (I Corinthians 12:12-20).  We humans often get this wrong, wanting a more showy position, thinking sometimes that this honors God more, when in reality it is sometimes the unassuming position that is most important. It’s hard for the pastor to preach in Alaska if the building and grounds people don’t keep the furnace running, for example. We never see the work done on the furnace, but believe me, when there’s no heat in the building nobody is interested in listening to the sermon. Neither of these jobs is more important than the other. They each have their part in God’s work force.

More than just the work we do for the church or even outside the church for the benefit of the Body, we have personal work to attend.  Strict restraint must be put upon the appetites of the body as well as on the thoughts and inclinations of the will.  As James (1:13-15) had previously explained, temptation is a normal part of living, but lingering thoughts on temptation will lead to sin. Jesus doesn’t call us into His family to live unholy lives.  We are taught and enabled to walk in Christ-like holiness. This idea will not always be met with open arms. Some think the precepts of holiness are something to be ignored, reckoning them to be men’s rules; but they are God's commands.  Breaking them is a show of distain for God.

Christians are, obviously, still human after their salvation experience and sometimes flesh-and-blood will act like flesh-and-blood, but we must remember that we were given the Holy Spirit to guide us and encourage us in well-doing.  Resisting temptation is hard and it will remain so, for it is a narrow and rocky path we are called to trod, but God has given us the means to resist (I Corinthians 10:13).

The Thessalonians were living their faith out loud in a world where such activities could bring persecution and even death. Yet, they continued to do as Paul had taught them to do. Now, Paul urged them to live even louder for Christ.

Let us never forget that this letter was also written for American Christians in the 21^st Century! We should strive to be more than what we started as when we came to know the Lord, not for the sake of empty rituals, but because we love Jesus and we want to show Him that love through our obedience. There are many things in the Bible that I find difficult to obey.  I’m sure most people are with me in that, if they’re honest. Yet, the act of obedience is a discipline that builds our character in Jesus. The Thessalonians were learning this. Though nearly 2000 years separates us and them, it is a lesson we need learn just as urgently.

The Thessalonians were facing persecution that might result in death. Living for Jesus was the reason for the persecution, but it was also their saving grace, for because they lived for Jesus, they did not need to fear death. We in 21st Century America are very lucky that we don't face death for our beliefs -- yet. Activities on the world stage indicate that may be something we will come to know in our lifetime, and most certainly -- barring some major change -- our children will know persecution.  We must learn the lesson that Paul taught the Thessalonians.