Thanksgiving for the Entire Family of God

If you have siblings…are you thankful for your siblings?

My brothers birthday was this week…and it got me thinking about when he was born…needless to say I was not thankful for him…and I was not thankful for my leaders, my parents for having him.

I am 4 years older than my next sibling…my Brother Braden…when he was born…the attention shifted and I did not like it….I was so upset…and I…I am ashamed to admit this…but I pretended I could not walk. For a few weeks…and my parents would cart me around in a wagon, take me to doctors…until they said I was just fine…and then I had to walk again, and I did not become thankful….and being 4 years apart well it is hard as a senior to be thankful for your soon to be freshmen brother…by God’ grace I am very thankful for my brother now…

this year we are focusing on….

Growing in Gospel Gratitude

One of the implication of the Gospel is that now I have a new family…I have brother and sisters in Christ, I have leaders to shepherd and have charge over me, that may not do things exactly as I want them done…I have people in my life who have different gifts and abilities that are given to the body of Christ so that the body can grow and build itself up in love….and just as I was not thankful for a new baby brother…it is easy for me to not always be thankful for the family of God that I have been adopted into, including leaders that the Lord have called to oversee me.

So today we are going to consider how we can grow by having….

Thanksgiving for the entire family of God

With that in mind please turn in your bibles to 1 Thess 5:1-18

The context of 1 Thess is that Paul seeks to minister to the Thessalonians as they are suffering affliction, and they are concerned with those who have died and when Christ will return. Paul is sending Timothy and is wanting them to follow his leadership and for them to keep growing in caring for each other…and ultimately that their faith would be strengthened (1 Thess 3:1-2).

A number of their congregation have died and they are supposed to comfort each other and encourage each other…so things are difficult…things are hard for the Thessalonians…

Lets Read 1 Thess 5:1-18

• Remember things are hard for the Thessalonians and they want to know when Jesus is coming back…..When things get busy and when things get hard…it is easy to take each other for granted, and it is easy to just want to focus on doing your own thing, not wanting to follow anyone’s leadership and just turning inward…

Yet, the gospel is so wonderful, so life giving, so refreshing…like a fountain of living water…we are called to put on a heart of gratitude and thankfulness that brings glory to God and blesses those around us….so as we consider growing in gospel gratitude, let’s look today at….

3 ways to show thanksgiving for our church leaders and family

First we…

I. Rejoice in our common salvation (v8-10)

1 Thessalonians 5:8–10 -⁸ But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation. ⁹ For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁰ who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him.

One of the ways we rejoice in our common salvation…is not just to be really joyful, but also we change the way we live…because of our salvation we are to…

Live Gospel Centered lives in contrast to deeds of darkness

Galatians 5:16–23 -¹⁶ But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. ¹⁷ For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. ¹⁸ But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. ¹⁹ Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, ²⁰ idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, ²¹ envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. ²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

The deeds of the flesh are evident…the deeds of the darkness are done at night, or done in a way where you hide them…but since we are of the day…we don’t need to hide…we can live gospel centered lives because we have a hope of salvation…

Think about that list and think about the spirit working in your heart…if you are thankful for the Spirit convicting you, bringing you to repentance, redeeming you, indwelling you, sealing you for the day of salvation…then one of the ways we show our gratitude is by living and walking by the spirit….and the fruit of the spirit should be displayed in broad daylight for all to see how thankful we are for salvation.

The reality is that God has not called us to do this alone…it can feel very overwhelming to live a gospel centered life by yourself….

That is why one of the ways we rejoice is to….

Pursue Community as we are brothers and sisters in Christ

Dietrick Bonhoeffer in his book Life together captures this well….

But God has put this Word into the mouth of men in order that it may be communicated to other men. When one person is struck by the Word, he speaks it to others. God has willed that we should seek and find His living Word in the witness of a brother, in the mouth of man. Therefore, the Christian needs another Christian who speaks God's Word to him. He needs him again and again when he becomes uncertain and discouraged, for by himself he cannot help himself without belying the truth. He needs his brother man as a bearer and proclaimer of the divine word of salvation. He needs his brother solely because of Jesus Christ. The Christ in his own heart is weaker than the Christ in the word of his brother; his own heart is uncertain, his brother's is sure. (Life Together, Dietrick Bonhoeffer, p. 23)

[Image of Cover of Book LIFE TOGETHER]

Notice how in 1 Thess Paul is wanting to have the church continue to grow in their love for each other…He just told them about the coming of the Lord, so that they could comfort each other with these words…previously he has commended them for their love for each other and he calls for them to grow in increasing their love for each other, and to excel still more in how they walk to please the Lord…

The idea is that they are in this walk together…they are in a march together for the glory of God…no one is to walk alone…we are not to just have the buddy system,…we are to have the church body system, where we are in this together…

Paul uses we, us, us, we …and he ends this section by saying we will live together with Him…

1. Our common salvation is what makes us family

1. We are going to live together for all eternity so lets be thankful for each other now…

The people I am closest to are in my ABF and in my pointman group…or they are the people I have been able to walk along side in a trial.

I just want to encourage you esp. going into the summer, don’t focus on just doing your own thing…pursue community with your brothers and sisters…because the good news of the gospel is that we are reconciled to God, and because that we are in Christ, united to Him we are also now connected to each other as brothers and sisters in Christ…and any dividing wall between us has been torn down….and that is something we are to rejoice in by pursuing closer relationships with each other.

Now these relationships, are not just for recreation…they are to help us …

View life with an eternal focus

2 Corinthians 4:18 -¹⁸ while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

We need to constantly remember that this world is not our home…and God has set eternity in the hearts of man…and for us to rejoice each day…we must have an eternal focus that directs our lives.

Because we can’t see it yet…We need to help each other remember to...walk by faith and to…

1. Rejoice that we are not destined for wrath, but salvation

Later Paul says rejoice always…what could be powerful enough and significant enough where I can rejoice always…the reality is no matter how much affliction we face this side of heaven…we are on our way to heaven…and those who have placed their hope and trust in Christ are not destined for wrath…but salvation through Christ.

Paul is rejoicing in the Thess testimony of salvation and how they turned from idols to serve the living and true God and how they are now…

1 Thessalonians 1:10 -¹⁰ and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come.

The fact that I am not condemned to endure God’s wrath for all eternity...when I think rightly about how I deserve God’s wrath…that is the only thing that can really help me always have something to rejoice in…

If you have never written out your salvation testimony…I would encourage you to do so and regularly share that with outers…so that you can regularly rejoice and testify to how God has saved you…reviewing your testimony regularly will effect the way you live…

You see we also have an eternal focus based on the way we live…are to…

1. Live soberly, looking forward to the return of Christ.

1 Thessalonians 5:8 -⁸ But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation.

1. A focus on Christ and His return really focuses us as individuals, as families, as a church family...it focuses us on what our purpose is…

1. Our purpose is to exalt our messiah…to live to please Him, to Bring Him glory and honor…if we are not looking forward to Him coming back…we will not seek to live for him today.

1. It is sort of like when you family has an event or an errand…and you are at home relaxing, and you have made yourself some lunch, the dishes are dirty, maybe you were working on a project earlier and your tools are out…and then you start to think…when are they coming home… and then you get a text…on the way home…and you go into serious cleanup mode…really focused that the family is on the way home…

1. We are to have that same sober focus…the serious awareness that Jesus could be coming back any minute…and is He going to find me eating cereal in my pajamas or working hard on the things I know would bring him eternal glory and honor.

So if the imagery of eating cereal in pajamas on the couch is not what we want to define us…then I think it is safe to say the imagery we want to personify is…

Ephesians 6:11–12 -¹¹ Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. ¹² For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

1. If we recognize we are in a battel each day to live for ourselves or to live for Christ…we will think about the protection we have through the gospel of Jesus Christ…we will meditate on that each day and it will effect how we s[end our time, what we are interested in, what is important to us….

1. When Ukraine was invaded….the priorities of every person shifted…planned birthday parties changed, new hobbies were dropped, they were at war…and that required their total focus…

1. So put on your armor each day….by thinking and mediating on WHO GOD is, what He promises in HIS word, and WHAT HE IS DOING, and HOW HE has called you to be a part of it each day…because of His great salvation.

So I hope you are thankful for the people in your life who direct conversations toward Christ and not just to having a good time…I hope you are thankful for folks who are willing to ask how your relationship with the Lord is and how you are actually living…I hope you are thankful that you don’t have to live out your faith alone…you have help if you will let others into your life, there are people who love you and want to encourage you in your walk with Christ.

Now just like you are not alone, you also have leaders to help you stay focused on the return of Christ…

II. Understand the Ministry and Role of Church Leaders. (v12-14)

1 Thessalonians 5:12–14 -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, 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.

It is interesting how the beginning part of this verse is translated…

[make these next 5 snippets all one click, and you do not need to put it in your notes]

‎NASB that you appreciate those

‎NIV to acknowledge those

‎NET to acknowledge those

‎ESV to respect those

‎NLT honor those who

The word here literally is the word, “Know”…you should know those who diligently labor among you…Macarthur’s commentary is helpful as we unpack this word…

New Testament word oida, which means to know by experience…The connotation here is that believers are to know their shepherds deeply and respectfully and to value their service. Such knowledge is much more than the mere recall of their names or the general awareness of some facts about their personal lives. Instead, it entails a close, personal acquaintance that results in the caring appreciation of the Lord’s servant. It is common for people to be unkind, critical, and indifferent toward their pastors when they do not know them well. But believers will not be as likely to have such negative attitudes toward pastors they truly know. Rather, they are more likely to treat them with heartfelt respect and gratitude. John F. MacArthur Jr., 1 & 2 Thessalonians, MacArthur New Testament Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 2002), 172.

As a pastor, I have this great desire to know the people of this church and to care for them…I love people…I am not perfect at it, but getting to know the flock and seeking to care for people’s needs is part of this great calling…but part of everyone’s responsibility is to know their pastors also….so that means not flying under the radar and leaving church as quick as possible so that no one knows you and that you don’t really get to know others, particularly your pastors…

What is really important to note in the text is that folks are not to appreciate pastors because of their personalities, or simply giftedness, but because of their hard work…

In secular Greek kópos means a. “beating” or the “weariness” caused by it, and the “exertion” (e.g., of manual work) that brings on physical tiredness. kopiáō, then, means “to tire,” “to wear oneself out.” The LXX uses it for tiring in battle (2 Sam. 23:10), for exertion in work (Josh. 24:13), and for the groans of the afflicted (Ps. 6:6). Present toil is contrasted with future rest (Is. 65:23). God, who never wearies (Is. 40:28ff.), will grant rest to the righteous (33:24). Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, Abridged in One Volume (Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans, 1985), 453.

Another verse that captures this is…

John 4:5–6 -⁵ So He came to a city of Samaria called Sychar, near the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph; ⁶ and Jacob’s well was there. So Jesus, being wearied from His journey, was sitting thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour.

So pastors are called to work hard, and God’s people are to appreciate that work…

This would be really helpful to help the Thessalonians be in a place where they want to get to know Timothy, even though he was younger… and appreciate how he was going to work hard to shepherd them during this difficult time.

I can attest as other pastors would as well, that it is a delight to be a pastor here…there is great appreciation on behalf of believers in this church to see and appreciate the hard work of shepherding the flock…but it is good to reaffirm what that work looks like and to encourage you to continue to excel all the more…

Part of that work is …

Exercising Oversight

Pastors are also called overseers…This is leading, supervising, setting the course heading, making sure as a congregation we are moving together in a direction that we believe is glorifying to God.

1. Hebrews 13:17 — 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.

Having an appreciation for those the Lord has placed over you…actually has great profit for you…I can attest that there is great joy serving as a pastor at this church.

Providing Instruction

1. 1 Timothy 5:17 — 17 The elders who rule well are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.

I love shepherding, and I love teaching God’s word…it is so applicable to life, so interesting...the Word of God is such a beautify tapestry, I love investigating all it’s nuances and intricacy, but it is also life changing and it transforms us where we are not only saved, but also sanctified…so it is the pinnacle of exciting…

And it is so helpful when people want to study the word, want to know theology and want to apply it to their life and not just have their ears tickled…

I just want to say thankyou for not being ticklish….or not simply wanting your ears tickled…but wanting meat from God’s word so you can change and grow to become more like Christ.

Ministering the Word of God is not the same as a TED talk…part of ministering the word also involves…

Admonishing, Encouraging, Helping

1 Thessalonians 5:14 -¹⁴ We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone.

I love how the bottom line is to be patient with everyone…but also that there are going to be different ways to interact with different people and at different times…There are times where people need to be admonished, warned, that their behavior is not pleasing to God and is going to lead to destruction.

• The word unruly here carries the idea of being undisciplined or idle…so this can be referring to a lack of control but it can also encompasses just being idle or lazy in your walk with the Lord…

• But also that there are folks that are fainthearted…those who are timid, who are burdened perhaps from the trials they are facing or the death of loved ones…these are folks who want to give up…They don’t need to be admonished, they need to be encouraged...built up in Christ.

• Then there are the weak…it is not clear if this is simply weak physically, but it may be more those who are coming out of works based salvation and they are weak in faith as Romans 14 or 1 Cor 8 talks about, it could be brand new believers who are weak in their faith and need to grow in their faith…it could also be people in a weak position socially or economically…but it is people who are in need of help…they can’t just be left to fend for themselves…

What I love about this passage is how it blends from pastors to the church family…The context is clearly about appreciating those who have charge over you in the Lord…but then it shifts “to urge the Brethren”….

This is something we all are to be doing, not just Pastors…to admonish, encourage, help…

I love how our church does not resort to…we that’s that pastors job, send them to the pastor…our church has a rich history of laypeople admonishing, encouraging and helping one another in a patient way…

So part of this is just encouraging you to excel all the more and to continue to…

Respond in appreciation and honor those who minister to you.

This may be your service pastors, it may be your small group leader, it may be your deacon, your ABF leader…key leader asking you to serve in a ministry, it may be your parents who are seeking to work hard to teach you about obeying the Lord….The bottom line is that it is good to be thankful for each other…as we minister to each other.

Macarthur points out that this appreciation is to really be about Love…a love for God, a love for what He is doing and How he is using others in your life to accomplish His good work….MacArthur’s states…

Paul intensified this responsibility even further by telling the Thessalonians they must have high esteem for their shepherds in love, not because of their personalities or the favors they rendered, but because of their work. So beyond appreciating the man because they know him, the saints are to hold him in even greater regard because of his divinely designed and energized calling. Love is the familiar word agapē and refers to selfless, sacrificial service for others. The work the shepherds do is their ministry of the Word, which feeds the souls of the flock…God has called pastors and set them apart for the important work of leading His church (1 Tim. 3:1–7; Titus 1:5–9; cf. Mark 3:13–19; Acts 6:3–6; 13:1–3). Therefore the people under them are to lovingly acknowledge their ministry labors, greatly respect them, overlook their non-sinful human frailties (cf. Prov. 10:12; 1 Peter 4:8), speak well of them, encourage them, and give their best for them. John F. MacArthur Jr., 1 & 2 Thessalonians, MacArthur New Testament Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 2002), 173.

As Paul indicates to the Thessalonians in Chapter one…The greatest way you can respond and appreciate those who lead and exhort and instruct you is By walking in a manner worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory…{kids appreciating parents by obeying the Lord}

When we walk in a manner that appreciates what God has done for us in salvation and appreciates those in the church family God has provided for me…then the challenge is to keep being thankful…to not let thankfulness be the standard, not the exception…to …

III. Continue to encourage one another and build up one another (v11, 13, 15-18)

1 Thessalonians 5:11 -¹¹ Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing.

One of the ways we do that is by solving problems right away in the body and seek to….

Live at peace with one another

1 Thessalonians 5:13b -¹³ and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Live in peace with one another.

If someone does not admonish you just right, or encourage you perfectly or help you enough…and you can’t get to a place where you are thankful for how they tried to love you…it is better to have a conversation with that person than to get bitter, gossip about that person, or harden your heart toward that person…God has called is to peace and we seek to exalt the prince of peace…and that means addressing issues and not letting them fester…and then explode.

We also build up other when we ….

Return good for evil and proactively seek after what is good for others.

1 Thessalonians 5:15 -¹⁵ See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people.

I still remember Janet Aucoin teaching Trisha and I about how she would respond to one of her kids when at the playground they came over and said a child was being mean to them….and Janet would say, God says in Romans 12 that we should return good for evil…so why don’t you go over to that person who just pushed you or said something mean to you and ask them if they want to play a fun game with you…That counsel has not only helped us in our parenting, but really challenged my view of love….That if I am going to love people like Christ, I can’t be easily offended…I need to be ready to overlook an offence and seek the good of someone else…even and esp. if I think they are being unkind…

In fact this should be our common practice…not just in response…we are called to….

1. Hebrews 10:23–25 — 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; 24 and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, 25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

One of the best way to appreciate your leaders is to be a peacemaker…at home, in school, at work, in church…

The more you get to know people, the more likely someone is going to sin against you and you will have to show them grace, solve problems, return good for evil…but that helps us all keep growing in anticipation of the return of Christ.

And the return of Christ helps us to …

Pursue joy, prayer and thanksgiving in Christ

1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 -¹⁶ Rejoice always; ¹⁷ pray without ceasing; ¹⁸ in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

As I said at the beginning…the only thing powerful enough for us to rejoice always is to think about how Because of Christ I am not destined for Wrath but salvation….

I can because of Christ pray and constantly depend of God and what the Lord has provided me…both leaders and brothers and sisters…..

I can learn what God’s will is, and be reminded what God’s will is…through the study of the word and living in community with other believers, so that I learn how to give thanks in everything, every circumstance because I apply who I am in Christ to every circumstance…not alone, but in a community of believers who are eagerly looking forward to the return of our Messiah, our King….Jesus Christ.