The Thessalonians 1 Of 12 (1 Of 2)

He reported the injury to his officer and he was commanded to go to the local military hospital. When he arrived at the hospital he parked his car and entered the magnificent building. Immediately he saw two doors clearly marked.

• The sign on one said, “For the slightly wounded,” and the other said, “For the seriously wounded.”

• He entered the door marked, “For the slightly wounded.” Then he saw two more doors with writing across the top. Over one it said, “For officers.” Over the other was written, “For non-officers.”

• He entered the door marked, “For non-officers,” and immediately he saw two more doors with signs over them. One of the doors was marked, “For party members,” and the other was clearly marked, “For non-party members.”

• He entered the second, marked, “For non-party members,” and found himself out on the street where he had entered the building.

When the German soldier returned home he was asked by a family member, “Did you get the help that you needed at the hospital?” He replied, “Well, to tell you the truth, no one did anything for me, but you ought to see the tremendous organization they have!”

The soldier’s evaluation of the hospital was the same as could often be said of many of today’s churches. We are really organized, but we are not accomplishing very much.

Many times the people who come to our churches for help end up where they started, but they do see that we are organized.

In fact, the church takes pride in the fact it is ORGANIZED! We may not:

• Be winning many to the Lord, but we are organized.

• Be reaching young people for the Lord, but we are organized.

• Be meeting the needs of couples having trouble in their marriages, but we are organized.

• Be preaching and teaching the Word of God like we should, but we are organized.

• Be sending many missionaries to foreign fields, but we are organized.

Listen, no sensible person is against organization. The Bible clearly tells us God is not the author of confusion. Without a certain amount of organization you will have confusion. We just have to be careful not to spend so much time organizing that we forget the purpose for our existence.

Illus: Government is a good example of how this can happen. It is set up to serve the people, but often it gets so “organized” the officials forget why they are there. In America it has gotten so out of hand that THE PEOPLE SERVE THE GOVERNMENT instead of the government SERVING US!

Bad government can be a good picture of what happens when its purpose is forgotten.

Another good picture of what organization does when it loses its purpose for existing is seen in many churches.

Illus: One church had on its bulletin board, “For God so loved the world that He did not send a committee.”

Someone has said, “The best way to slow progress is to form a committee to do something about it.”

Someone else has said, “A committee usually keeps minutes and wastes hours.”

If Moses would have had a committee, he would never have gotten out of Egypt.

Again, no one, in his right mind, is against organization, but many understand that in organizing, we can lose sight of our purpose for existing.

Often the churches that are INEFFECTIVE are those who have lost sight of their PURPOSE FOR EXISTING.

Paul was concerned about the young converts in Thessalonica. He wanted to make sure they would not fall into this trap. If they were going to exist to be a witness of the gospel of Christ, they had to consider certain things, such as...

I. RESPECT FOR THE SERVANTS

The list of officers and leaders in churches can be long. For example,

Illus: There was one man who was...

• A Sunday school teacher.

• Chairman of the ushers.

• Chairman of the finance committee.

• Chairman of the property committee.

• Chairman of the grounds committee.

• Chairman of the cemetery committee.

• Chairman of the deacons.

• A singer in the choir when he was not ushering...

Illus: Some of our churches remind of the little old towns we used to laugh about because the same man was the Mayor, sheriff, dog catcher and tax collector.

We thank the Lord for those who are willing to serve and often carry heavy loads because there are some who are unwilling to serve.

However, God’s Word teaches there are three main positions in the church. The Pastor, teachers, and deacons. God’s Word further teaches that these servants are worthy of respect. That is...

• If you have a Sunday school teacher praying for you and seeking the Lord during the week about how to help you spiritually, that Sunday school teacher deserves your respect.