| Teacher: Rusty Kennedy Series: 1 Thessalonians (Acts) |
Rusty's Notes | |
- We left off last week with Paul addressing the church at Thessalonica and their concerns for what is to come with the dead and themselves when Jesus returns.
- Now we get to the wrap up of his 1st letter to the Church at Thessalonica.
1 Thessalonians 5
EXHORTATIONS AND BLESSINGS
- A. L. Moore, in his 1969 commentary, says this: “There is no need to see behind each injunction a special situation supposedly requiring particular guidance; much of the advice and encouragement is of a general nature such as Paul would regard right and necessary for any church.”
- Howard Marshall, in his 1983 commentary said this: “The situation is the very natural one of a pastor who knows that a number of specific topics are usually important in exhortation and has a rough general pattern of teaching in his mind, but who presents it in such a way that he adapts it to the particular situation he has in mind.”[1]
- Paul “asks” – means that he has a good 2 way respectful relationship with the Church in Thessalonica.
- He is not commanding.
- 1) The first thing that congregational leaders do is they “work hard/labor.”
- What does that mean? Well, the rest of the text says that “They rule over and admonish parishioners.”
- 1 Timothy 5:17 says they preach and teach.
- 1 Thessalonians 2:11 says that they engage in individual discipleship training.
- 2 Thessalonians 3:13 [and] Acts 20:35 say that they support the poor.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:14–15, coming up in our passage in just a little bit, says that they practice pastoral care, although they don’t do it alone but the whole church does it.
- These are at least some of the things that church leaders do [and] ways in which they work hard.
- 2) We live in a kind of politically correct age in which people are sensitive about people who have authority and how they exercise authority, I think that many commentators and many translations are a little too reluctant to recognize what is emphasized here in this passage.
- In this context Paul has in mind that authoritative function.
- 3) Admonition for the apostle never stems from a judgmental or vindictive spirit, but rather, it’s always done out of genuine love and concern for others.
- We can see that in Paul’s words to the Corinthians (1 Cor 4:14). He says, “to admonish you as my dear children.”
- That was the perspective by which Paul admonished the Corinthians—from the perspective that they were his dear, or his beloved, children.
- There are certain members in the Thessalonian church who are not only idle but, even worse, they’re rejecting—they are rebellious because they’re rejecting the admonition of the church leaders about their need for self-sufficient work.[2]
- Leavener – Organic>Institutional
- We receive questions & judgment because we aren’t organized like “others”.
- 5 recognized elders (board – IRS)
- Many elders (including women)
- Deacons
- Serve the ministry
- Serve individual people/families
- Members – There are no members
- No voting among members
- No committees
- Organic small groups
- ‘brothers and sisters’ - stresses the fact that pastoral care is the responsibility not of just the church leaders but the whole congregation.
- And this is an important point because, in today’s church, there is a tendency to farm out this responsibility of pastoral care to paid staff people or to trained church leaders.
- Instead, we have to recognize that the whole church, the whole body, has a responsibility to its fellow members.
- And what’s more, this is perfectly in keeping with Paul’s commands elsewhere that church leaders are not to do the work alone but, rather, are [Ephesians 4:11–12] “to equip the saints for the work of ministry.”
- 1) ‘the rebellious idlers’—those who are not merely lazy but who also compound their sin by rebelliously refusing to obey the command of both their congregational leaders and even Paul himself.”
- 2) ‘comfort/encourage the discouraged’ - in this context [of] “encourage/comfort,” remember, also occurs typically in the context of death.
- 3) ‘help the weak’ - The adjective here could refer to physical ailments, but because the moral character has been stressed in the previous two groups, it more likely suggests that here too Paul is referring to those who are spiritually weak.[3]
- 4) ‘be patient with everyone/all’ – Not just the first 3 mentioned but to ALL.
- Paul knows that the natural reaction of humanity when someone does something wrong is to strike back in anger and in revenge.
- So here Paul is highlighting the principle of non-retaliation.
- The verb “pursue” is also a strong one. Some translations simply say something like “try to do what is good,” and that’s much too weak for what the verb conveys.
- In fact, this is a strong verb that is even used sometimes to describe persecution.
- So what Paul is saying is [that] we just don’t have to try to do what is good.
- Much more aggressively, we have to chase after—we have to pursue—what is good, and we have to do that toward all.[4]
- Congregational worship – What is that?
- Paul connects the Holy Spirit with each one of these three things, and so that’s what holds this paragraph together.
- So joy, for instance, is connected with the Holy Spirit in Paul’s writings in this letter, earlier in 1:6, [and] also in Rom 14:17 and Gal 5:22.
- Prayer is connected with the Holy Spirit in passages like Rom 8:26–27; 1 Cor 14:15; Eph 6:18; and Phil 1:19.
- Pagan prayer – was more transactional.
- If you do this, I will do this in return.
- Christian payer is more relational. Not necessarily what we learned in church either.
- Thanksgiving is connected with the Holy Spirit in 1 Cor 14:16.[5]
- This doesn’t say ‘when you gather’.
- Worship is not just a Sunday AM thing.
- We worship always, constantly and in everything.
- Every breath we take is worship.
- How do you do these things ‘always’?
- Chaplain call on Friday – 46 year old husband and father of 3 died.
- “Why?” – How do you do this?
- ‘God’s will for you in Christ Jesus’ – to walk by His Spirit.
- The Spirit of God is the only way you get through this fallen world.
- I can’t explain why – there is a bigger picture.
- ‘stifle/quench’ – to walk by your flesh – selfishness.
- What I want… what I feel… What am I going to get out of this?... Flesh vs Spirit.
- Filter what you hear… when it comes to listening to teachers.
- Throw penalty flags and know why.
- Know the difference between good and evil.
- Spirit vs flesh
- Michael Martin, says, “Paul did not wish the church to become so cynical that they treated with contempt those who came with a word of prophecy. Neither was the church to be so gullible that they accepted whatever a so-called prophet said without carefully weighing it and determining that it was indeed a true word of God.”[6]
- Peace… real peace only comes from God… the Spirit inside of us.
- ‘sanctify you completely’ – Set apart
- Explain how a believer’s soul and spirit has already been redeemed at the cross. Out of this comes acts of the Spirit.
- Our body has not been redeemed. Out of this comes acts of the flesh.
- Not only in your soul and spirit, but also your body.
- May you not only be perfected in your true identity but your behavior as well.
- The “holy kiss” was not a sensual thing. Usually the men kissed the men, and the women kissed the women[7]
- This is a command that Paul gives in only three of his letters, and always to congregations where, earlier in the letter, he has addressed some form of internal conflict or division.
- So the fact that Paul includes the kiss greeting in his letter closing to the Thessalonians is a strong suggestion that he has a particular internal division in the church in mind.
- And the kiss itself in the ancient world was a lot more than just saying hi or goodbye.
- It was a sign in the ancient world of, well, almost forgiveness, of reconciliation, of unity and togetherness.[8]
- I am good with saying, “I forgive you” and “I love you.”
‘Grace be with you’ – The ability of God in you to live your life for you.
[1] Weima, J. A. D. (2020). NT350 Book Study: 1 & 2 Thessalonians. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[2] Weima, J. A. D. (2020). NT350 Book Study: 1 & 2 Thessalonians. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[3] Weima, J. A. D. (2020). NT350 Book Study: 1 & 2 Thessalonians. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[4] Weima, J. A. D. (2020). NT350 Book Study: 1 & 2 Thessalonians. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[5] Weima, J. A. D. (2020). NT350 Book Study: 1 & 2 Thessalonians. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[6] Weima, J. A. D. (2020). NT350 Book Study: 1 & 2 Thessalonians. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[7] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 190). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[8] Weima, J. A. D. (2020). NT350 Book Study: 1 & 2 Thessalonians. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[9] Christian Standard Bible. (2020). (1 Th 5:12–28). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
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