Relationships With One Another

Transcript

GR 1127
11/17/1985
Relationships with One Another
1 Thessalonians 5:14-18
Gil Rugh

If you can remember where it is, we’re back in I Thessalonians and I remember, many long years ago, we started the study of I Thessalonians and we're coming back to I Thessalonians chapter 5. I Thessalonians and the 5th chapter.

Paul is closing this letter to a young church that he established in the midst of difficult times. And you remember that the events surrounding the establishing of that church, and subsequent things that happened shortly after Paul went and ministered there, resulted in him having to leave the area rather quickly. And persecution has continued for those who came to trust Christ under Paul’s ministry. So he writes back to encourage and to instruct them as new believers in Christ undergoing difficult times.

Down in chapter 5 verses 12 and 13, he began giving them some instructions concerning their personal relationships with one another. And he instructed them regarding their relationship to the leaders in the body. God had raised up individuals to provide leadership even in this young group. And Paul was encouraging the body to accept that leadership and to recognize it, and to be supportive of it. To hold the leaders in high honor.

Then with verse 14, he's going to go on now to give a series of instructions and commands relating to their relationship with one another. And as you just scan over the rest of the chapter you see that the way we have it broken down, It is some very short verses and that gives you some feeling of the way Paul was writing at this point. Short concise thoughts and statements as he concludes what he has to say to them.

And in verse 14, he’s going to give a series of commands to them as believers as relating to one another. And he's going to begin with, ''And we urge you, brethren,’’ here’s something I beseech you to do. I exhort you to do as my brethren, as believers in Jesus Christ. And it has to do with the way they’re to relate to one another and to minister to one another. He gives them a series of commands: ''admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with all men.’ Four instructions given here. The first: admonish the unruly. Now that’s interesting.
Here you have a small church, evidently at this point, because it’s a young church, new believers and yet it seems we already have represented in this small young church the same kinds of problems, the same types of people that we face in every church no matter whether it’s small or large. No matter whether it is young or old. Here the command is given: 'admonish the unruly.’ And in the church at Thessalonica there were the unruly. A word that has a military background. It means to be out of place or out of order. It would be a word that would be used of a soldier who was out of step. You see soldiers marching. They're to be in step with one another. This word would indicate to someone who was out of step. Or it could be used of a army that was moving in disarray rather than in proper formation. It had become disorganized and thus it was in disarray. The unruly here, in light of the context of this letter and the next one Paul will write, seems to indicate those who are out of order conducting their lives. Particularly in the area in becoming loafers or idle in the matter of working and providing for their needs.

Paul had set the example for them. He had given them instructions as believers they were to be diligent and hard workers. But evidently some at Thessalonica settled in thinking that the Lord was going to come and that there was no sense in killing myself working. The fact that I don’t work other believers will help me along.

Back in chapter 2:9, Paul had used himself as an example, ''For you recall, brethren, our labor and hardship, how working night and day so as not to be a burden to any of you, we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.’’ Paul while he was at Thessalonica had worked hard at secular employment to support himself. That should be an example to these Thessalonians that God expects us as believers to be hard workers even though that’s going to bring added pressure on us. Because now, I not only have to work at my job at diligence, but then I have to give time to the ministry that God has appointed me to.

Over in chapter 4 of Thessalonians, verse 11, he urges them, ''and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you; ’’ In other words--support yourselves! Do what’s necessary to provide food to meet your physical needs. He’ll have to write to them again over in his second letter.

Over in II Thessalonians chapter 3 and he gets very strong here because evidently they did not respond either to admonish he had given when he was present with them nor to the ones he wrote to in his first letter. So he say now in verse 6 of II Thessalonians, ''Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that you keep aloof from every brother who leads an unruly (there’s our word again, 'unruly) life and not according to the tradition which you received from us.’’ Then the example here: ''For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example, because we did not act in an undisciplined manner among you.’’ So those who are unruly are out of step, out of order. They are an undisciplined people. ''Nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it, but with labor and hardship we kept working night and day so that we might not be a burden to any of you; not because we do not have the right to this, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you, that you might follow our example. For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: 'If anyone will not work, neither let him eat. For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies. Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to work in a quiet fashion and eat their own bread.’’ So you see something of the pressing problem: laziness, lackness, an undisciplined life in this basic area. Not primarily in a spiritual area. Not necessarily laying back from sharing the gospel or making Christ know, but in a very practical area of going to their job and applying themselves with all their energy so they could be a good example. What kind of testimony would it be at Thessalonica, 'Oh, yes I know those Christians. When they come to believe in Christ, they become terrible employees. They don’t work any longer. They just want to ride and coast along. You know what Paul said in verse 6, that believers are to disassociate themselves from those kinds of Christians. They are not to be identified with them. They have to separate themselves.

Now back in I Thessalonians chapter 5:14, Paul says that these kind of Christians are to be admonished. You know it’s always difficult to confront another believer about short comings in his life. We tend to want to pull back; sort of avoid them, talks about them with other people, talk about their problem. But the hardest thing to do is sit down with that person look that person in the eye and say, 'You are really out of line in light of what God says we ought to be as a believer.* And you need to get your life back in order. You need to discipline yourself and get about applying yourself and working in meeting the needs that you have and your family has for food and shelter and so on. Sometimes that is hard to do. Usually it is. But they are to be admonished. To be confronted. The word means to warn and instruct. We admonish them.

Now there is a danger. Sometimes we as believers like to find a mold we can fit in. Alright, I'm told to admonish the unruly or the undisciplined. But if I'm not careful that becomes my pattern to deal with every believer. I'm going to admonish them and warn them and instruct them and that's it. But I have to be sensitive to what the problem is. The problem is an undisciplined life, then they have to be admonished.

But then there is another kind of believer. There to be dealt with differently. Encourage the fainthearted. 'The fainthearted.' The King James, I believe says, the feebleminded. That's not a very good translation because of the way we think of feeble-minded. Fainthearted gets to the idea. We refer to those who are discouraged or despondent. Perhaps the pressure of the persecution have cause some to lose heart and become discourage. They are down! They're discouraged. They are defeated, we would talk about. Now I don't go and rebuke them as I do those who are leading an undisciplined life. But I’m to go and to encourage them. The word translated, 'encourage' here is to cheer up, to console and to comfort. They are already down. They don't need me to come in and thunder after them and to rebuke them. Christians don't get discouraged. Now straighten up! Christian aren't to be fainthearted. That's a poor testimony for you to get fainthearted, so why don't you get your life in line. Now that's not the way you deal with the fainthearted. You encourage them and comfort them. You console them. You cheer them up. You know how it is, we've all had our down times. Isn’t it refreshing to have a believer who takes the interest in you. He wants to come and comfort you, who seems to really understand. He’s really interested in you. He really cares that you are going through a hard time. And then believers just want to take the time to just cheer you up, you know we can appreciate that kind of ministries in our lives. And we’re to be looking throughout the community who have that kind of ministry. You see a believer who is down, going through a hard time. An opportunity for us to come, console them, comfort them, cheer them up, help them through that discouraging time. You know they aren't the only kind of believers.

We have the undisciplined, the unruly, we have the fainthearted easily discouraged. Then he says, 'help the weak.’ That’s a word 'help’ here carries the idea of a sympathetic assistant. Here you’re come to the aid of someone. One person suggested it’s the picture of putting your arm around a weak person and holding them up. In fact the word is used of holding on to someone over in Luke chapter 16 in verse 13. ''You cannot serve God and mammon. You hold on to one and hate the other.’’ The picture here: you're holding on to them. He's a weak person. What do you do? You put your arms around them and cheer and hold them up. Just like you would if someone didn't have any physical strength. When you put your arm around them to support them and help them. Well here the word 'weak* is not talking about physical weaknesses, primarily, but it's talking about spiritual weakness and moral weakness. Here is a weak Christian. Now what do I do with a weak Christian? I put my arm around him and hold him up. Help them along just as I would the physical weak. You don’t berate someone who is physically weak, physically 111 and has no bodily strength. What do you do? You say, 'how can I help?’ Here let me put my arm around you and help you.’ That’s the way we’re to deal with the spiritually weak believer. Come and put our arm around them and say, 'Let me help you. Let me encourage you. Let me carry you through these difficult times.’

Now we don’t have identified for us the weak here. But Paul talks extensively about weak Christians in other letters. And I would assume he’s that probably he’s using the term here, weak to refer to Christians who are the same kind of Christians he talks about in Romans 14, and I Corinthians 8. They're weak Christians who don't have a good understanding and a good grasp of the liberty they have in Jesus Christ. That’s put them under an additional burden and additional pressure.

Look over in Romans 14. We're now going to do an exposition of the weak Christian, but just to remind you of what is sometimes involved in this kind of weakness. And how we are to relate to the weak believer. In Romans 14 in verse 1, ''Now accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions.’’ You see here. That acceptance of the weaker believer, but not so that I can judge him and condemn him for what he does. Not told that I can make him feel bad for being weak. And the area he reaches is the weak believer doesn't have an understanding of the liberty he has in Christ to do certain things. Now I'm going to invite him, but you know how it is, sometimes. We see a weaker believer, one who doesn't understand perhaps the grace of God in an area of life, we say, 'Oh well, let's make friends with him and we'll show him what liberty really is.' That's the reason I associate with him. Or we look perhaps to engage him in an argument because we know we can knock the legs off from under him when we get into the word because he sure doesn't understand the word like we do. Obviously not, otherwise he wouldn't be a weak Christian, would he? A weak Christian is one who doesn't understand the word in certain areas. So sure if you're not a weak Christian, you ought to be able to take him apart piece by piece, and limb and limb by using the scriptures, but that doesn't help him as a weak Christian. What you can do, is put your arm around him and help him. Because being weak doesn't mean he's doesn't care. He's got to grow and become strong.

Paul goes on and talk about the example and warns us, down in verse 10, about judging our brother and in verse 12, will each one will give an account to God. ''Therefore,*' verse 13, ''let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this--not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother's way.'' Now Paul says I do understand about weakness and strength here and liberty in Christ, but I also understand about the kingdom of God doesn't consist of these physical things. You it's amazing when we recognize our liberty. We recognize true maturity, we almost make it more an issue than the weak Christian does. It doesn't mean I can do it, but it also means I don't have to do it either. I have liberty to do this. But you know what that means? I also have liberty not to do it. And if it bothers you fine! I won't do it. So I don't want it to be a problem for you, I want you to have time to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And that's to be the attitude, verse 19, ''So then let us pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another.'' We are to be concerned, ''Now how can I help you to grow and mature in Christ?'' and be sensitive to that. So you have the stronger embracing the weaker to help them along as they grow and mature. And we need to be very careful. The danger is that we use our strength against the weak and we hide yourself in our strength in our biblical knowledge and we're not sensitive to those Christian who are really having a struggle in and a difficult time. How can I help them? How can I encourage them, How can I bear them up through his weakness.

Come over to I Thessalonians 5. For different believers in different situations need a different approach. Some need to be just admonished, confronted and corrected. Give them instruction on what they ought to do. Some need to be encouraged, cheered up. Some need to have someone to put their arm around them and carry them through the difficult times.

And then he concludes this grouping by saying, ''...be patient with all men.'' And that would include all the groups that he talked about and any that he hasn't talked about. Patience is to characterize us as believers. And the word used for 'patience' here: carries the idea of an attitude bears up under even hostility, even persecution and rejection. This is a person who doesn't have himself first. He doesn't put his own interest first. But he is concerned about others. So he can bear up even through difficulties. Now keep in mind these Thessalonians are going through persecution. They’re going through trials. They’re being unfairly and unjustly treated. So this idea of being patient with all men has particular point for them. It would also apply, obviously, to the group he just mentioned. We sometimes just get tired of cheering someone up. And it time he doesn’t need cheering up anymore. Or they’ve, been weak long enough but there needs to be the patience in dealing with them. You know it's interesting to me: patience is a characteristic of love in I Corinthians 13 and it's the fruit of the spirit in Galatians chapter 5:22, ''The fruit of the spirit is patience.’’ And if we really love one another, that fruit will be manifest and we will be patient with one another. And when I’m not patience I’m not manifesting a lack of love and the fruit of the spirit is not being produced in my life.

And then he goes on in verse 15, ''See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all men.’’ Since the Thessalonians are going through persecution, are suffering unjustly and unfairly, there’s always the danger that the response will be, 'I’d like to get even. I’d like to have vengeance. I’d like to retaliate against them.’ That’s the natural, inbred, inborn response of fallen sinful human nature--to get even, to get back, to retaliate. Now here we’re told: see that no one repays another with evil for evil. And that’s the word translated, ''see there.’’ is given as a command. It says that we're to be careful, be on your guard, watch out that this doesn't happen. Here is something that we as believers, have to pay special attention to. Be especially careful about. Now we don't fall into the pattern of wanting to get even with people, of paying them back when they wrong us. Now sometimes that happens among believers. A believer will wrong us and we allow it to fester and we look for some way to retaliate. If not personally, we sure hope that something happens to them that will repay them for their meanness and their insensitivity. Same idea. Because that's mind set. Getting even. If I can't do it, I hope somebody else does it or God does it to them. Now it carries out, unbelievers. Some of you work in a hostile environment in the world and those who know that your testimony for Christ, go out of their way to make it more difficult for you as a believer.
If you're not careful, it is easy to begin to have thoughts, 'I'd like to get even with them.' I'd like to get back at them. I hope they get a taste of their own medicine and know what they've put me through.' And you hear watch out for that kind of attitude, those desires that, ''No one repays another with evil for evil, but always,'' and you know, it's not enough for me, as a believer, not to do the wrong thing. It's never enough for as a believer, to say, 'Well, I didn't do anything wrong. Fine. That makes you a cabbage. Now what did you do right?' The other side. You know it's like your kids. You confront them about something, 'I didn't do anything. Exactly. It's bad enough not to do the wrong thing, we must do the right thing. This Is where It Is difficult. I think I've won the battle because I'm not looking for vengeance, I'm not looking to retaliate, I'm not looking to get even, and I not wonderful?' No! ''....But always seek after that which is good for one another and for all men.'' In other words to 'seek' is a strong word. Seek after something. Means to pursue it, to diligently seek it. Here is half-hearted, or indifferently done. Always seek after that which is good. 'Good' here refers to good deeds. Be looking for good things you can be doing for others rather than repaying them in time. Look after that which is good for one another....a relationship with a believer. Interesting, you have to remind us about that even among believers. That I'm to be looking out for you for good and also for all men. It's not limited to us as believers. But it begins there and for all men. And you ought to underline, 'always.' You're going to see through this section that kind of word is used repeatedly or related word. Always, continually, without ceasing. This is to be the gentle characteristic of my life. No exception. Now soon as you think you have an exception, you know you’re in a situation where you especially need the grace of God to do what he has told you to do. To do good to this person. So here's a person on your job, that has perhaps has held you back from promotion. Perhaps he's done some mean things toward getting you demoted and your pay cut. Now here comes an opportunity to do something good for them. ''You mean, do I really want to go out of my way to do something good for them?'' Maybe I will if it will make them feel bad and recognize what a nice person I am after all.'' I'm not doing it for them anymore, I'm doing
It for me. But I really want to do good to and for them? That's has to be the focal point. Always for me as a believer. So you don't have to call me on the phone, you don't have to call another believer and say, 'Now I know what I Thessalonians 5:15 says, but...do you think that applies to this situation? Well--always applies to always. So the answer is simple.

Alright verse 16, 17 and 18 tie together in giving a series of sharp commands. And interesting all three of these commands have the emphasis on doing something repeatedly or continually of always. Often in Greek when you want to put emphasis on something, you put the word you want to emphasize first in the sentence or first in the word order. That's what's done in each of these three. So, verse 16, ''Always, rejoice.'' Verse 17, ''continually pray,'' verse 18, '''in everything give thanks.'' In all three statements the always, or the without ceasing in everything appear first. Giving a stress. This is something we are to be continually doing.

Verse 16, ''Rejoice always.'' Always rejoice. Little aside, you know it's the shortest verse in the bible. Shorter than Jesus, what in the original--Greek language as it was written. Only two short words here. Jesus wept in the Greek is three words that are longer. So if someone ask you in a bible quiz, what is the shortest verse in the bible, act like you’re really a scholar? Say, did you mean in the Greek bible, or the English bible. ''Rejoice Always!'' Always rejoice. You know one of the first things that leaps out to you at that command. The circumstances in which the Thessalonians find themselves. Undergoing intense persecution, so bad that the apostle Paul had to leave town. And he’s one who knew how to stand in the face of the heat, but he had to leave town. These new believers are there to bear the brunt of the fire of persecution and the apostle Paul writes back and says, ''Always rejoice.’’ Seems like the wrong context to talk about rejoicing when you see that the Thessalonians are going through difficult and trying times.

A reminder, Christian joy doesn't depend on the circumstances. I like the way one person put it. The Christian has no right to be despondent or despair as a believer in Jesus Christ. You know I sometimes think that I have a right to be miserable. You know I’ve heard this kind of situation just makes me miserable and so I'm right--I'm going to be miserable. So you know what that does? That puts me in conflict in the word of God. You know why? I’ve given a command in I Thessalonians by 5:16, ''Always rejoice!’’ Well, I do most of the time. Now then, do you see what I have to do? I have to change the scripture. 'Most of the time rejoice!’ Not what he says. Anybody can rejoice most of the time. You know what marks the believer off from the unbeliever? The believer rejoices when nobody in his right mind is. Every see them when they win a new car? Did you ever see somebody who won the lottery for millions of dollars? They stand there and say, 'oh, this is sure discouraging!’ Here I am an instant millionaire and now what in the world am I going to do?’ No, they rejoice, why? Things are going well. They don't rejoice, though, when circumstances are down. Well what about us as believers? We always rejoice. That doesn't have anything to do with circumstances. Sometimes they're up and sometimes they're down. That doesn't have anything to do with my having joy. 'What do you mean, it doesn't have anything to do with having,....we're human aren't we?' Sure we're human, but we're. But we're human beings under control of the Holy Spirit of God who produces joy in our lives in every circumstance and in every situation. Since we're given a command to rejoice always, I take it, that it means that I am responsible before God to have joy. To be a happy Christian. Now that doesn't mean that I'm always smiling. That doesn't mean that I never cry. That does not mean that i never have sorrow. But yet it does mean in the midst of all of that I can have the joy in the Lord in my heart. Now we say, that's a contradiction. I'm a happy person even though I'm crying in the midst of this trial and tragedy. Who can understand it but a believer? Something supernatural that the spirit of God does. But I'm responsible to submit to the Spirit that I'm to such a person. He give me the command to rejoice. He doesn't command the Spirit to rejoice. He commands me to rejoice and to have the joy and happiness that God produces in this situation. Isn't that ability simply a matter of recognizing that God has all things under control? The circumstances are not what I want them to be. The situation is not what I would choose, but I have full confidence that God has everything under control. He's working all things according to His perfect plan for me. And I’m rejoicing in it, even though I’m crying about the circumstances. So I can always rejoice. Good. Don't I like what is going on? Do I believe God's in control? Am I telling God that He is doing the wrong things for me? He's doing the wrong thing is this circumstance? No, we're not going to tell God that. I believe He does the right things, yes, All the time? Yes. Well then, rejoice! Okay, I will.

I like the way one commentator put it. These Thessalonians thought more of their Lord than of their difficulties. More of their spiritual riches in Christ than of their poverty on earth. More of the glorious future when their Lord should come again than of their unhappy past.

Look over in Philippians chapter 4. Just a little bit before Thessalonians in the book of Philippians chapter 4:4. ''Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! ’ You know that ought to be a tremendous encouragement to us that God would command us to rejoice always.

Over in Galations 5. We won’t turn to it, but in the fruit of the spirit. Galations 5:22. One of the fruits mentioned there is joy that the spirit gives.

Come back to chapter 5. Verse 17. We are to be continually praying--without ceasing--pray! Continually pray. The word for prayer is a broad word. It encompasses all kinds of prayer. We sometimes look at the different word for prayer, where they get their emphasis. This word here is a broad one. It would include the various kinds of prayer we might talk about. ''....without ceasing.'' We sometimes get confused on something like this. This doesn’t mean I walk around praying all the time, I wouldn't get anything else done. Sometimes I have to occupy my mind with my job. I'm carry on a conversation with someone, I have to be thinking about the conversation I have. So I can't be praying, if we mean by that, talking words with God every moment of every day. And obviously that is not what it means. I take it means that we live in a constant attitude of prayer. The Spirit of prayer we need to talk about. The sphere of prayer, if you will. That in that relationship I have with God it's just a natural thing to talk with Him about whatever comes up. Just like we do in close relationship that we have. When you're with a stranger, it's strange, you have to think.... What am I going to talk about?' How are we going to get into a conversation?' Ever have some new people over to your house and your invited to someone's house that you didn't know? Now what do you talk about with your wife on the way over. 'I wonder what we're going to talk about.' I don't need to worry about that, because Marilyn usually goes with me. But....it's not that way with your husband or your wife or those who are close to you. You have close friends and you relax and unwind with them, why? You don't have to think about what you're going to have to say? You may prop your feet up and you just talk about something. And you may read the paper for a while and all of a sudden something comes to your mind, you talk to them about it. You have that kind of open communication. You may be in the same room together. But that doesn't mean you're always verbalizing, but you could start to talk at any time with whatever came to your mind.
That's the kind of relationship we're to have with God as believers. I'm on my way to an appointment and things that come to my mind that I just start talking to God about it.
It's a natural thing in the flow of my life as a believer. The environment in which we live, this word without ceasing, which was used back in chapter 1, verse 3, ''constantly bearing in mind your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.''
Constantly bearing in mind. That doesn't mean that Paul didn't ever think of anything else but the Thessalonians. Obviously we read his other letters, he had a lot of other things on his mind. But this came to his mind often. You know it was a natural thing for Paul to think about the Thessalonians--same idea.

Over in chapter 2 of Thessalonians, verse 13. ''And for this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received from us the word of God's message, you accept it....*' and so on. We constantly thank God. Now that doesn't mean that if you met Paul he would've been constantly saying, ''We thank God for the Thessalonians, they received the word.'' We say obvious not. That it was a normal pattern for Paul. On a number of occasion it would be natural for him as he was walking from one city to another, for the Thessalonians to come to his mind and for him to thank God for them. So that's the idea of the unceasing prayer. Do you feel that comfortable with God in your relationship with Him? It's just a natural thing for me to talk with Him. it's just a normal thing that I'm going to talk with Him. Now if you think about it in that sense, and you develop that kind of relationship even audible prayer ought not to be a major issue. You know sometimes for us in front of a group this becomes a little different setting. It ought to be a normal thing with a friend or two, where just going to talk to the Lord, here, for a moment. I don't have to come up with any flowery language. I don't stop and think, unless I'm in trouble, how I'm going to phrase this to my wife. And the way I’m going to talk about this. You know the normal thing is, I just blurt it out. It's just a natural thing and you talk about it. I want to be with the Lord. Talking with a Christian friend and say, 'well, let's just talk to the Lord about it.' A natural thing. That's the realm in which we live. It's amazing thing. It doesn't mean, that I as a believer, need to go through a dig-through ritual or routine. I’m going to go into the very presence of God and address Him personally. Nobody between us. Because Christ has provided the access. It's not going to happen, that I'm walking down the street and I just start talking to Him about something. I'm propped up in the living room and something comes to mind and I just talk to God about it. Think of these awesome privileges we have as believers. To just talk with Him at any time and at all times. 'Oh, by the way, Lord, I've been thinking about this. Lord, you know, this is really concerning me. I want to talk to you about this. Praise you Lord for providing me....just a natural flow of things.

Amazing that I have such access into the very presence of God. A number of places. We won’t take time to turn to it. Ephesians 6:18, Romans 12:12, Paul encourages those that he writes to, to be continually in prayer.

Verse 18 of I Thessalonians 5, ''And in everything give thanks...’ ''In everything give thanks.’’ Note these repeated words. We saw the always up in verse 15, the always in verse 16, without ceasing in verse 17, verse 18, in everything. Certain things ought to be true about us as believers, all the time and every place. And giving thanks is one of those things. Now in everything carry the idea--in every circumstance and in every situation I can give thanks. I’ll make a note here that it doesn't say for everything. I t doesn’t mean that I have to be glad that I’m going through suffering now, but in the suffering I can be thankful because I know God is in control of it. I fall off the platform and I break my arm. I don’t have to say, 'thank you God, I broke my arm. That’s not the point. But even in the midst of a difficulty like that, I should be giving thanks to God, because I know He’s in control and is working to accomplish His purposes in this. And that’s the point. It’s simply the recognition. In everything give thanks, because I really believe God is in control in everything. I really believe that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purposes. Do I really believe that? Now I can quote it, but do I personally really believe it. If I do, is there ever a situation in which I might find myself that I could not give thanks? If there is, that would mean there is a time, when God is not working something for my good. When God
has let control slip away. That would be a serious matter. But if He’s in control in every situation, everything no matter what, is being used by God for the accomplishment for His purposes and His glory, can I not give thanks in that situation even though it may not be my choice. And that’s the point.

Look at what Paul writes to the Corinthians. Over in II Corinthians chapter 4, verse 16, ''Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.’’ Now Paul says on the outside I’m going down him. Physically I’m going downhill. But in the inner man in Christ, I am growing. ''For momentarily, light affliction,’ that’s what Paul writes about it. You can read chapter 11 what this momentary light affliction was like. ''Is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison.’’ You know what Paul is saying? The suffering, the heart aches, the hardships, the difficulties, they are all being shaped by God for my glory. And that puts it in proper perspective. So that’s why we need to give thanks. Now that’s in the context of verse 18,''While we look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not see; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.’’ Now if I get my eyes focused on what I see then it’s hard for me to give thanks in every situation because some of the situations are down. So Paul says I look at my affliction, at I look at my deterioration, I look at the hardships and I see God's hand at work in producing for me an eternal weight of glory. Now if you look at your difficulties in that way, God is shaping and molding everything in your life to produce for you an eternal weight of glory, doesn't than enable you to say, God I can praise and thank you in this situation. I don't like it. I'm not enjoying it. But you're doing it to produce for me an eternal weight of glory and I sure am thankful of that. This is the way Paul is living and that's the way he faced the circumstances of his life. That's how he kept from getting overwhelmed.

You know I get overwhelmed because my eyes get on what I see. Paul says take if off of what you see to what you don't see. And God is taking what you see and using it to shape it for you in the realm of what you don't see. And long after what you see is gone, that eternal weight of glory will be yours.

Over in Acts 16 a concrete example. Acts chapter 16, verse 22. Here's an example of giving thanks in everything. Acts 16:22 Paul and Silas, ''And the crowd rose up together against them, and the chief magistrates tore their robes off them and proceeded to order them to be beaten with rods. And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to guard them securely; and he, having received such a command, threw them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.'' Now having they only not been beaten within an inch of their lives, that their backs would be lacerated. Now they laid down and have their feet put up in stocks. To have the agony of being in that position. Image the conversation of Paul to Silas, 'now where did we go wrong? All I wanted to do was be a good testimony to the Lord.’ Wouldn’t you think He would’ve recognized our desire and cared for us better than this? They had a little bit of a pity party in prison. Three P’s, pretty party in prison. But you know Paul and Silas are some kind of fanatic. Read verse 25. ''But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and I know as I read into that, I would’ve read Paul and Silas praying for deliverance. They didn’t do that. They were praying and singing hymns to God!!! They've just been beat within an inch of their live and now they’re in stocks in the inner prison and these guys are singing praise to God and giving thanks to God for everything. Why? Was God in control? Had God slipped a little bit here? Things got out of control and Paul and Silas suffered. I don’t know. It's exactly what was in the plan of God to the accomplishment of His purposes for Paul and Silas. So they're praising God in the midst of the trial.

Come back to I Thessalonians 5 just to tie it all together. Verse 18. In everything give thanks. Note that last statement, ''for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.'' Now I take it that statement: 'this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.' refers to all three commands: rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you, In Christ Jesus.

You know sometimes we say, I'd like to know the will of God. Well you come to word of God and you can find the will of God. I’m going through a terrible trial a terrible difficulty. You know what the will of God is for you--always rejoice! Give thanks in everything and continually talk it over with Him in prayer. Now I don't know what's going to happen over here. I got this major decision to make. i wonder what the will of God is. Well I can tell you where it starts. The will of God is that you be rejoicing. The will of God is that you be giving Him thanks. And the will of God is that you be talking it over with Him in prayer. Sometimes we complicate our lives. Isn't it simple? We make the will of God something intangible. Something fuzzy. We come to the word of God and I find out clearly here's the will of God for me! I’m demeaning, I'm groaning, I'm complaining, I'm disgruntled, and I wonder why. I just can't determine the will of God. Well start out with what He commands me to do and go on from there. We may not understand what God is doing? I may not understand why He is doing it. I recognize that I say that now. It's easy for me to say it now. I don't know what tomorrow holds. I don't always understand what He does. I don't always understand why He is doing it. And He often doesn't do it the way I would do it. But I always have the full confidence and the full assurance that He loves me, that he has everything under control. That everything that is coming into my life is happening according to His plan for me and is producing for me an eternal weight of glory. And in this, I can rejoice! In this I can give thanks! In this I can continually walk with Him in prayer. In that framework, I back up in a position to carry on a effective ministry with you and for you and to you. I can be used to admonish, to encourage, to help because I'm function the way God
wants me to be in the place and in the circumstance and situations in which He's place me. Let's pray together.

Father thank you for your great provision for us In Christ. What a privilege to be the people that belong to you. To call you father. Lord that I'll encourage to walk in continual communion with You. To have the freedom of access to talk with You all the time in every circumstance and in every situation. Thank you Father in the command to rejoice always cause we know that in everything you command, You provide the power to do as we draw upon it. To you, Lord to be giving thanks in every situation. Lord I pray that we might not be a complaining, grumbling discontented people. But Lord remind us again and again of your great grace and your sovereign control in our lives. Lord as we walk with You under Your control then may we be ministering to one another, admonishing, encouraging, and helping according to the need. Make us sensitive to one another that we might reach out and have an effective ministry as the Holy Spirit uses us in (?) of His lives all for the purpose of honoring and exalting You as the God who has loved us and drawn us to Yourself and Your Son, Jesus Christ. In His name we pray. Amen.