Sermon: Instructions for the Children of the Day

Good evening University Reformed church. My name is Eric Berg and I will be sharing God's word with you all tonight. Tonight we will be in the end of the book of one Thessalonians. Um, looking at chapter five verses 12 through 28. That is one Thessalonians chapter five verses 12 through 28. If you're using one of the pew bibles, you can find that on page 988.

Let's turn to the Lord in prayer.

Our triune God, we know that it is your work to convict and convince sinners to come to you. We know that you make the reading, but especially the preaching of the word E factual unto salvation. Only you could use such ordinary work for such extraordinary purposes. Would you prepare our minds and our hearts not to quench your spirit, but to receive your word in faith and in love In Christ's name, amen.

Hear the word of the Lord from one Thessalonians chapter five 12 through 28.

We ask you brothers to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves and we urge you. Brothers admonish the idol. Encourage the faint hearted, help the weak. Be patient with them all. See that no one repays anyone. Evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. Rejoice, always pray without ceasing.

Give thanks in all circumstances for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus. For you. Do not quench the spirit. Do not despise prophecies but test everything. Hold fast. What is good? Abstain from every form of evil. Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely And may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful. He will surely do it.

Brothers, pray for us. Greet all the brothers with the holy kiss. I put you under oath before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen. This passage we come to tonight is striking. The brevity of the commands carry a percussive rhythm and like a heartbeat there to pulse through the body of the church. Starting in chapter four, verse one of one, Thessalonians Paul, Silas

and Timothy, the writers of this book begin their address to the brothers of Thessalonica. And from that point on, the church receives instruction with a brief interlude on Christ's return in between. This is important because as a church we are situated between two realities. The first is that Christ has come, he has inaugurated his kingdom and his church is his heavenly outpost. The second is that Christ will return.

He will come to consummate his kingdom and gather his church who eagerly awaits for him. So in order to endure until his return, the church must embrace their gospel identity. We are children of the day and as children of the day, there are family rules. So I have four points from our text today. Three of them are groups of commands and the fourth is a benediction or a prayer. So the first point is that, uh, embrace your family structure.

Embrace your family structure. You'll find that on verses 12 and 13. The second is care for your siblings. That would be verses 14 and 15. And then from verses 20, uh, verses 16 to 22 and 27, that is be the family that worships. And then from verses 23 to the end, it is the benediction, which is trust in the power of God. That is embrace the family structure, care for your siblings, be the family that worships and trust in the power of God.

So first, embrace family structure addressing the congregation. Paul gives three commands related to the elders are the pastors of the church. He says to respect them, to esteem them highly in love and to be at peace among them. And we know he is talking about the elders because of how he describes their work. They labor, they rule and they admonish. This is what elders are called to do in Christ's flock. And elders or pastors are under shepherds

who follow in the footsteps of the chief shepherd, Jesus Christ himself. He came not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many. Jesus is the one who rules his church, but he also equips and entrusts men for his work. The elder does this work in a few different ways. He labors in preaching and in teaching he rules according to God's word, pressing the the claims of Christ on the consciences of men.

And he admonishes using the kingdom keys wisely to open and close the doors in church membership. And this is how Jesus has chosen to run his church. And the elder has a very focused role in that. His role is to make sure that Christ's sheep are following the chief shepherd. But the focus isn't just on the elders here, the the focus of the commands is on the congregation. The congregation is to respect esteem and be at peace among their elders.

We respect them because they're over us in the Lord and we love them because of their work. Now this is a very unique privilege in the body of Christ. Unlike the world, you can actually love those who are over you because they care for your soul. Unlike the world, you can respect them because of their work. It's for the advancement of the gospel. And you can have peace among them because the prince of peace leads them.

Not that you can't love, respect or be at peace with the world, but there's a special relationship that we have towards the elders. And there are many ways that you can do this, but I think one stands out. Love and respect and be at peace among your elders by knowing and loving Christ. Your elders follow his rule. It is him that your elders proclaim. He has called them to endure all things for your sake. If you know Christ, you will love and respect

and be at peace among your elders. All the more second, care for your siblings. Remember that this church in Acts 17, uh, was planted in severe persecution. And the persecution was so bad that Paul couldn't stay longer than a few weeks. But this congregation before being driven out And that's why Timothy's encouraging report about their faith and love was such an encouragement to Paul. But this church still lived amidst hostility.

They were in a host environment where every move that they made was watched. So they must conduct themselves. Well they must be marked by patience towards everyone. They must admonish, encourage and help one another. And while doing good to outsiders, the family of God has a responsibility both to its own and to those around them. Now, within the church, certain Thessalonians had a problem with idleness or laziness. There were some who refused to work

because they misunderstood Christ's second coming, thinking that he had already come or would soon come. They threw up their hands and refused to work. And on top of that, they took advantage of the church's generosity and abused the help given to them by remaining idle. Now admonish the idle isn't just another way of saying get a job. That's what handshake or LinkedIn is for. But idleness is actually a heart problem.

And that's why Paul addresses it through the prophet Zephaniah. The Lord diagnoses and rebukes the complacent heart, which is very similar to the idol or to the lazy heart. And here's what he says. He says, I will search Jerusalem with lamps and I will punish the men who are complacent. Those who say in their hearts the Lord will not do good nor will he do. Ill simply put the idol misunderstand God's activity. They sit under the word preached yet remain unaffected.

They attend growth group disengaged. They are asleep and like an idle car, they use gas, but move nowhere.

Just because you have a job doesn't mean you're not idle. The day of the Lord will come like a thief. In the night while people are saying there is peace and security, then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman and they will not escape. Brothers and sisters, you have a responsibility to admonish the idol. Not because we're pragmatic, but because idleness is a symptom of neglecting Christ himself to the idol.

The Lord will come like a thief in the night. The Thessalonians also had those who were fainthearted. The faint hearted were those who were anxious about their loved ones who died in the Lord and maybe they were even anxious about their own salvation. And in chapter four, Paul comforts this group by reminding them that death in Christ is victory because of the sureness of resurrection. And in chapter five, he assures this group

that their identity is is that they're the children of the day. And in both chapter four and five, Paul urges the Thessalonians to encourage one another with these truths. The word for fainthearted occurs nowhere else in the New Testament, but the concept certainly does. And in fact, many of you know what being faint hearted is like. The writer of Hebrews describes our drooping hands and our weak knees. In response to the Lord's discipline, we are frail

and we realize it when we sit under the conviction of sin or one hard providence after another. Now it's important not to confuse the commands here, it's admonish the idol, encourage the faint hearted and help the weak, the faint hearted already sit under the Lord's admonishment. We must encourage the fainthearted. Here's one way you can do that. Encourage them by reminding them of the race that we run. The Boston Marathon features one large hill at mile 21.

It's called Heartbreak Hill. It's a fitting name because that hill crushes the joyful expectation of a new personal best or a strong finish. Now, something you should know about the Boston Marathon course is that spectators line the entire course. But there's something unique. There's something special when you come to Heartbreak Hill. Heartbreak Hill. As you round the corner and begin the ascent, you hear the deafening cries of encouragement.

Not only are there spectators, but there are encouragers. And they bring their loudest instruments to play their loudest voices.

And it's as if when you're climbing the hill, their encouragement lifts you up the hill brings you up the hill. Once you crest that hill, it's almost certain that you will finish. We run a a race where we will often be worn by sin in hard circumstances,

but we have a savior who has endured the cross going before us, despising the shame and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God. From there he intercedes for us. And as faint-hearted as we are, he strengthens us to press on. So encourage one another by reminding them of the race that we run and who has run the race before us. Now the Thessalonians also had those who were weak either spiritually or physically.

And now Paul paints a picture for us with the verb help which is otherwise translated as to clinging to he says that we are to clinging to the weak because it is often the weak who are first abandoned in the world. There's to be no natural selection in the church and there are no runts in the family of God. For anyone who is weak, put your arm around them and lift them up. Make sure that they stay awake and sober. Now this requires hard work and great sacrifice.

And let's think about that for a moment. 'cause I think we're tempted to believe that God helps those who help themselves. Or maybe it's more subtle than that. We'll say to ourselves, oh, I've done my duty. Now someone else can help them. We hear these things often, but they're really far from a biblical model of help. Think about it in your own life, suppose God resolved that he wouldn't help you until you helped yourself.

If that were the case, then you'd be dead in your sins.

But God helped us and saved us not only when we were helpless, but also when we were his enemies. And he did that by sending his son to take our weakness, our frailty, and our sin upon himself in exchange for his strength and wisdom. So does no question that his church would be characterized by radical help for the weak in our midst. Now Paul also gives instruction for those outside of the church. How do we interact with those that are not in our midst?

Now remember the Thessalonians, were now persecuted church and aware of this, Paul condemns vengeance and commands them to do good both inside and outside the church. This would be extremely challenging. Doesn't he know the angry mob at the doorstep? Did Paul give them an impossible task? Well, no. The church can endure persecution because we know that we are ruled by a sovereign king who will return and bring recompense.

And not only will he return, but he's with his church always Through persecution, we lose our grip on the things that we thought mattered in exchange for the better and abiding possession that we have in Christ. As the church endures, though we can't shrink back from doing good, it's a powerful testimony of God's sacrificial love when his church drowning in persecution still seeks the general welfare of their community.

Outsiders. Notice what we do and suffering well is an opportunity to witness to God's saving power. See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone For Christ Church there will always be some who are idle. There will always be some who are weak. There will always be some who are fainthearted. There will always be interaction with the world, both positive and negative and moving forward.

It is their duty to recognize these different groups and to minister both patiently and accordingly. Third, be the family that worships be the family that worships as God's people. There's a right response to who God is and what he has done. That's worship. And from verses 16 to 22 in verse 27, Paul instructs the Thessalonians in worship which spans all of life the wonderfully familiar verses 16 to 18 address our responsive worship.

And then 19 to 22 and 27 address responsible worship. So responsive worship is the life encompassing response that we have to the grace of God, the will of God and Christ Jesus is that we respond to the love of the Father lavished on us in Christ and experienced by the Holy Spirit and the commands to rejoice, always pray without ceasing and give thanks. In all circumstances are the inevitable responses of someone redeemed by God's grace.

These commands would've been striking to the persecuted Thessalonians. Living a life of praise to God wouldn't be easy in a hostile environment. Yet living a life of praise amidst hostility speaks to the value of God's grace. Is your response to his grace stifled by lesser pressures in your busy home? Do your kids know how much you value the grace of God? What about your coworkers? Or what about when you're tired? Where does your mind run?

Is it prayer praise and thanksgiving? Or is it complaining and grumbling? We must hold each other accountable to living a life of praise. It's a glorious response to the grace that God has given us. Simply ask one another. How are you rejoicing today? What have you been praying for? What is something you are giving God thanks for? There will always be opportunities to rejoice unceasing, prayer requests to give and never ending reasons for thanksgiving in Christ.

Now responsible worship is done according to God's word. Verses 19 verse 19 gives us a warning to not quench the spirit. And then verses 20 to 22, give us some ways that we could do that. That we could quench the spirit. We could extinguish his flame by despising prophecies, we could test nothing and in turn, hold fast. What is evil? Now some in Thessalonica opposed prophetic teaching and therefore neglected anything that would come their way.

And commentators differ on the specifics of the thessalonian situation. But whatever the historical context was, they neglected God's direct revelation and extinguish the spirit's flame by depriving themselves of the upbuilding, encouragement and consolation of prophecy and aware of their tendency. Paul commands his letter or his prophecy to be read before all the brothers in verse 27. Now, as the apostolic age came to an end,

so did the miraculous gift of prophecy. The church's foundation of apostles and prophets was already laid. Now the spirit speaks through the word of God and gathers his people by building on a foundation of faithful preaching. And Romans 10 gives us the blueprint for that. How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?

And how are they to preach unless they're sent through faithful preaching? Christ is expounded from the scriptures And the spirit speaks and builds on that foundation by convicting and convincing sinners and calling them to faith. So the text warns us tonight that we may still clench the spirit by neglecting his testimony of Jesus and responsible worship demands that we return to God's word. It is there that the spirit strengthens us

by reminding us of the gospel. We never graduate from the gospel and against it, everything should be tested. Fourth, trust in the power of God. Starting in verse 23, Paul transitions from the brief commands that we've seen throughout our passage so far to a prayer and a benediction. And he prays that this church would be sanctified and notice who he says is doing the sanctifying work. It is the Lord who will surely do it. Why?

Because he who calls you as faithful. In this way, you reminded the Thessalonians where their strength comes from. The God of peace has initiated this work and he will bring it to completion. God's work of sanctification is the goal for the bride of Christ. He builds his church and furnishes her with holiness. And he does that by enabling us to die more and more to sin and live more and more unto righteousness. Now, verses 23 and 24 don't describe a sort

of sinless perfection on this side of eternity. If that were the case, Christ would have, we would have no need of return of of Christ's return. We would have no need for him to deliver us from this body of death. But praise be to God that he is returning and so long as we wait, he prepares us University, reformed Church. As we look at our brief history, we can see God's faithful preparation. Nearly 11 years ago, pat Quinn preached on the same exact text

he described the vibrant community of university, reformed church with testimonies of faithful leadership, thoughtful care, and radical love for one another. But listen to what Pat said, we don't have community because we all like the same kind of music or because we are all have the same demographic, but only because of Jesus Christ. Even our coming together will not change us unless the power of the gospel does that

by the grace and mercy of God, URC will turn 60 next year. And if we are to celebrate one thing, let it be this, that the gospel has powerfully changed. Lost college students, wandering husbands, bitter wives, wayward children. And the list goes on to faithful followers of Jesus Christ. But we shouldn't be surprised. This is simply God's work across all eternity. Through his gospel, he elects calls, justifies, adopts, sanctifies,

and will one day glorify all of his children. He who calls you is faithful. He will surely do it this building, it will rot and it will fade. Nations will be destroyed, persecution will rise and fall. But the Lord has promised that his church will be blameless at his return. Trust in him, trust in him, who has the power to preserve and perfect his people through the fire. Let's pray.

Lord, we are humbled by how you care for your church.

You watch over your church equipping men to carry out your work by the Spirit. You give us patience with one another, pointing to the perfect patience that you have had toward us. You preserve your church and promise to make your dwelling place with her. Now Lord, as you do this work among us, make us rest in your all sufficient power by bringing us to your word. Help us to live out our identity as children of the day in all things, in worship with our elders

and in our interactions with one another. And the word remind us that we are not our own, but have been bought with a price to live in faithful service to you. Come quickly, Lord Jesus. We pray this in your name. Amen.