Challenges – Are we ready to step up to Paul’s Challenges?
1 Thessalonians 5:12-18
I. Challenge to Churches (12-13)
a. We are to Respect, Recognize, and Honor our Leaders
1. Senior Pastor
2. Youth Pastor
3. Deacon Leadership
aa. Pray for Them
• Prayerless pews equal power-less pulpits
• Pray for not only them but their families
bb. Work with Them
• God has called them – trust God
cc. Encourage Them
Ill: 5 ways to get rid of your Pastor – Gene Getz
• Sit up front, smile, and say “amen” everytime he says something food. He will preach himself to death.
• Pat him on the back and tell him what good work he is doing in the church and the community. He will work himself to death.
• Increase your offering to the church. He will suffer from shock.
• Tell him you’ve decided to share your faith and win souls for Christ. He will probably suffer a heart attack.
• Get the whole church to band together and pray for him. He will get so efficient that some other church will hear about him and give him a call. That will take him off your hands.
b. We are to Respect, Recognize and Honor our Teachers
1. SS Teachers
2. Wednesday Workers/Leadership
* “Esteem” – huperekperisos – LOVE ABUNDANTLY
aa. Send a card thanking them for their service
bb. Send an e-mail thanking them for their service
c. We are to live in peace with leadership
”I think living in peace with your spiritual leaders means you speak highly of them and refuse to criticize them. I find it rather interesting that very few people will criticize leaders to their face, but they will shred them behind their back. I don’t think that it is because people are intimidated by most leaders, rather they know what they are saying is not honoring to God. Yet in churches throughout America, gossip and slander continue to be the most prevalent sins committed. In fact, more churches have been split by malicious gossip than by all the doctrinal heresies that have ever been invented. Thus, we should take this sin seriously. If you hear another brother or sister ripping on a leader, rebuke that person. Don’t tolerate this sin or you are an accomplice who will be held guilty. If someone is talking about my wife, I’m not going to listen in and remain quiet. I’m not going to worry about hurting that person’s feelings. Instead, I’m going to rebuke that person. Too many Christians are afraid of offending someone so we let a leader be run into the ground. This is sin! Perhaps today you need to make a commitment that you will not criticize a spiritual leader. Or maybe you need to commit to not listening in while others criticize your leaders. If there was more praise coming from God’s people, there would be more power in our ministries. Tragically, many members have never said a kind word to those who are in leadership. Today, commit to a ministry of encouragement.
[We should esteem church leaders. Why? Because this showcases the unity of the church.]
II. Challenge to Church Membership (14-15)
a. We are to “Warn the Unruly”
1. Those who break out of line
2. Love one another as Christ loves us
b. We are to “Comfort the Feeble minded”
1. Those who are discouraged
2. Those who are overwhelmed
3. Those who are struggling
4. Encourage Them!
c. We are to “Support the weak”
1. Those who are exhausted and burned-out
2. WE ARE TO PRAY FOR THEM – THAT’S OUR BEST WEAPON
d. We are to “Be Patient to all men”
Charlie Brown: “I love the world – it’s people that I cannot stand”
1. The wild children in your class or around you may be the next great missionary to a foreign land or the young man who is wild as a buck may be the next Billy Graham. Be patient!
e. We are to “Treat one another as you would want to be treated”
NOTE: Church membership is important! It provides you and I the following:
1. Accountability Partners
2. Accessibility to Spiritual Food (Training/Discipling/Fellowship)
3. Ability to participate in the “Body of Christ”. There’s a reason we are the BODY OF CHRIST!
a. Church hopping will lead an individual to confusion. There are different doctrines taught on every corner. Get involved – join in – and help win others to Christ Jesus. That’s the basis of it all!
b. I believe that if we will follow Paul’s challenge – a unified church – following the Lordship of Jesus Christ – WILL BE THE RESULT
III. Challenge to Christ-followers (16-18)
a. Be joyful – “Rejoice evermore”
1. Chairo = to rejoice, to be glad, to be well, to thrive
2. Used 74 times in the NT to remind believers to strive to be joyful in the good and bad times of life.
aa. Be joyful because of WHO God is!
Nehemiah 8:10 - 10Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our LORD: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.
GOD is Merciful, Loving, Compassionate, Gracious – if you have any question about that – look in the mirror – he even loves you!
bb. Be joyful because of WHAT God has done, is doing, and will do!
Philippians 4:4 – Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice!
NOTE: “A coffee break is good; a prayer break is better; a praise break is best!”
cc. Be joyful in what God is doing in and through other believers!
NOTE: Even though you may feel that God is not working in your life – take your eyes off of your circumstances and look at the lives of others!
b. Be prayerful – “Pray without ceasing”
1. adialeiptōs - without intermission, incessantly, without ceasing
2. Pray repeatedly and pray often! We should continually be offering prayers to God – because we just can’t help but to pray.
James 5:16 - Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
The pace of today is fast – slow down – focus on God’s sovereignty, realize that He is in charge – and talk to Him – confess to Him – renounce sin in your life – pray without ceasing!
c. Be Thankful – ‘In everything give thanks – for this is the will of God”
1. Euchariesto = be gracious, give thanks – i.e. saying grace at a meal
NOTE: Name things that you are thankful for right now – you are fulfilling that challenge from Paul in your life!
“Thank You Lord, for Your Blessings on Me”
IV. Challenge to the Non-Believer
Now, you may realize that you’ve never trusted Jesus Christ to be your personal Lord and Savior!
You realize that there is no presence of true chairo = joy in your life. Here is what you need to do this morning – remembering that your time is short to do this!
1. Realize WHAT Jesus has done for you!
a. He was born of a virgin in the most humble of circumstances
b. He lived the sinless life on earth – John 1:14
c. He died on the cross for my sins and your sins
d. He rose again from the grave – defeating death, hell, and the grave
e. He ascended to Heaven – preparing a place for those who believe in Him
2. Realize that YOU and I have a need!
a. WE are sinners – WE are mistake proned = Fleshly individuals
b. WE will NEVER measure up to God’s perfection
c. Apart from the blood of Jesus Christ – WE HAVE NO HOPE
Romans 3:10 – There is none righteous, no, not one!
3. Realize that YOU DO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO FOLLOW CHRIST
a. Admit your sin
b. Believe in Christ Jesus
c. Commit your life to Christ and Follow Christ!
Romans 10:9
9That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Romans 10:13
13For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Are you weary, are you heavy hearted?
Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus.
Are you grieving over joys departed?
Tell it to Jesus alone.
Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus,
He is a Friend that’s well known.
You’ve no other such a friend or brother,
Tell it to Jesus alone.
Do the tears flow down your cheeks unbidden?
Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus.
Have you sins that to men’s eyes are hidden?
Tell it to Jesus alone.
Do you fear the gathering clouds of sorrow?
Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus.
Are you anxious what shall be tomorrow?
Tell it to Jesus alone.
Are you troubled at the thought of dying?
Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus.
For Christ’s coming kingdom are you sighing?
Tell it to Jesus alone.
Are you measuring up to Paul’s challenges this AM? You certainly can – only through Christ JESUS!
