Sermon Tone Analysis

Let’s Make a Difference – 1 Thes 5:12-18

 

It is not uncommon for people or families in Canada to have household pets.

Many of us have pets or had pets growing up.

The most basic is probably a goldfish; some of us have dogs or cats, maybe a bird.

But others have more exotic pets like snakes or reptiles – maybe even an Iguana.

I was reading up on Iguana’s this week and found out some interesting things that I didn’t know before – and no I’m not considering getting an Iguana as a pet.

Did you know that an Iguana has the ability to change colours?

The Iguana can change from a green to a brown and vice versa.

They change colours for several different reasons, but primarily in response to external factors such as temperature or stress.

So an external influence creates this change in colour of the Iguana.

So the Iguana sees something stressful and recognizes the external influence and internally changes and they then appear different.

Similar to this chain of events with the Iguana, *we as Christians need to be that positive external influence that creates an internal change in others lives.*

*The internal change that is sought in others is that they conform their lives more and more to the image of Jesus Christ.*

That’s the change that we are desiring – that they might be more like Jesus.

This external influence occurs through what we would call encouragement.

My definition of encourage would be – to give courage or to instill courage or confidence to others to live like Christ.

That’s the reason why we encourage others….to

build them up in Christ.

There are many different types of encouragement.

Most often we probably think of encouragement as saying nice words to someone, maybe writing a short note or card of kind words, or compliments.

Maybe praising or thanking someone.

But there is so much more to encouragement in my definition above – like a word of warning can be an encouragement; a correction and even a rebuke are also forms of encouragement.

By encouraging others we want them to have the courage to live like Christ so sometimes that involves confronting others about the sin in their life.

We can also encourage others by our actions, by our service, our example or maybe by blessing them with a gift or doing something thoughtful.

So whether by word or action our goal through encouragement is to direct them to Christ.

We don’t even have to personally know someone else to be encouraged – there are many biblical examples that we can be encouraged by.

Pastor Kevin just spoke several messages on Abraham and there are many ways that we can be encouraged by his life.

This morning I will focus more on the relational encouragement – from people that you know.

The passage that we will be studying this morning is found in 1 Thes 5:12-18.

But before we dive into those passages, I need to give you a quick synopsis of 1 Thes.

When you read this book, you really pick up on how excited Paul is about the Christians at Thessalonica.

Paul preached Christ to them and they accepted Christ despite persecution that they faced from those around them.  Paul had to leave and he sent Timothy back to encourage them in their faith.

Timothy sends back to Paul an encouraging report of how the Thessalonians are continuing and growing in Christ.

Paul was this external influence that created an internal change in their lives and now Paul seeing them grow in Christ is being blessed.

You see there is blessing when you invest in others’ lives, it may cost you something to invest in their lives, but there is blessing and there can even be disappointment can’t there, in this case Paul was encouraged by the Thessalonians.

In 2:19,20 /“For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes?

Is it not you?

Indeed, you are our glory and joy.”/

Paul is excited and encouraged by this change in their lives – that they accepted Christ and are living for the Lord.

After Paul received the report back from Timothy he says in 3:7-9, /“Therefore, brothers, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith.

For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord.

How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you?” /there is great joy for Paul, because he was faithful to share Christ with these people, he was faithful to get involved in their lives.

You may have experienced this before in your life, when you have been used by God to impact someone else, to see them mature and grow in Christ is so encouraging – it is a blessing to have been used by God.  Paul is so encouraged by their faith, but in this letter to them he does have to correct a few concepts that were misunderstood and finally we get to our passage.

Paul in these verses says I have just a few more tidbits of advice for you.

Paul says in 5:11, /“Therefore, encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact your are doing.”/

So they were good at encouraging one another and building each other up, but Paul says I’ve got just a few more instructions for you to help you mature in Christ.

Let’s look at v.12-13.

I must credit John MacArthur for the headings for the different types of relationships like Shepherd~/Sheep etc.

So let’s look at v.12-13/.

12Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish (instruct or warn) you.

13Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work.

Live in peace with each other./

The *Shepherd’s responsibility – Work hard among the sheep.*

Christian leaders need to be hard at work doing the ministry of the Lord.

The leaders need to be leading by example – there are no shortcuts.

Shepherds your encouragement to the sheep is that you are working hard.

The sheep need to see their leaders getting their hands dirty and out there in the battle.

Leaders are not lazy and not just sitting back enjoying a title~/position or the prestige that comes from some leadership positions; rather shepherds are leading by example – the example of hard work.

Now I want to challenge you leaders or those who aspire to be Christian leaders.

In the book Biblical Eldership – Alexander Strauch quotes R. Paul Stevens and he says about elders something that is very challenging, “And for tentmakers to survive three full-time jobs (work, family, and ministry), they must also adopt a sacrificial lifestyle.

Tentmakers must live a pruned life and literally find leisure and rest in the rhythm of serving Christ.

They must be willing to forego a measure of career achievement and private leisure for the privilege of gaining the prize.

Many would like to be tentmakers if they could be wealthy and live a leisurely and cultured lifestyle.

But the truth is that a significant ministry in the church and community can only come by sacrifice.”

If Christian leaders want to be most effective for the Lord then they must sacrifice some areas of leisure~/recreation or maybe a promotion at work.

Maybe to serve the Lord we will have to give up extra money that could be made by working overtime shifts.

You see we are all busy – aren’t we.

Let’s just evaluate what we are busy at?  Are we busy serving the Lord?

If you have been reading the summer book read, “Walking with Arthur” you will have come across similar thoughts on p.64 – James O’Donnell says, “As long as we consciously or unconsciously, put ourselves ahead of others, sin will flourish like the grass in May.

I realized, then, that I knew far more about the right things to do than having the will to do them.

“Talking about doing the right thing is the easy part, doing them is a lot harder”.

For “the doing” is a whole different kettle of fish.

It often involves denying our wills.

And like many, I was wrestling with “why do that – what’s the need?”

But Arthur felt that the “good life” I now sought lay along a path strewn with discipline, humility, and courage, a path that would demand wisdom and yikes! - something he called obedience.”

We could add to that list sacrifice.

It is not good enough to just know the good we ought to do; rather we need to do those things.

James 4:17 says, /“Anyone who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.”/

That’s pretty clear.

Leaders evaluate what you are doing with your time, are you working hard for the Lord?

Are there signs of sacrifice in your schedule?

Do you need to prune some areas in your life to better serve Christ – to put others ahead of yourself?

Now let’s look at the sheep.

The *Sheep’s responsibility – respect~/hold in high regard the shepherd.*

The sheep are to respect or esteem their leaders who work hard.

The sheep can encourage their leaders by obedience.

Hebrews 13:17 says, “/17//Obey your leaders and submit to their authority.

They keep watch over you as men who must give an account.

Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.”/

So that their work will be a joy.

It was mentioned earlier about the joy that Paul had because of the Thessalonians, think of how you can tangibly respect~/encourage our leaders.

Just like the Thessalonians, grow in Christ under their leadership, tell them what you appreciate about their ministry, serve them, submit to them.

Speak positively about them and defend them when people try to criticize or slander them – those are ways to hold them in high regard.

Obey the leaders so that there will be peace, the church will be moving together in one direction.

Let’s encourage our leaders who work hard among us – that is our responsibility.

When was the last time you encouraged one of our elders?

v.14-15

/14//And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone.

15Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else./

The key here is that Paul says brothers – this ministry is between sheep to sheep, brother to brother, now that includes that leadership because they are part of the body – but the primary action to be taken is not directed toward the leadership to deal with.