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Sermon Notes of Rev.Dr.I.J.W.Oakley (21-8-2001 Framsden Baptist Church)
1 Thessalonians covers many subjects relevant to the life of the local church – the Gospel, Christian service, pastoral care, prayer, holiness, the second coming. Now in the concluding remarks we find what someone has called “a chain of jewels of good advice”, which every Christian and church needs to take note of carefully. They centre around three topics (a) leadership in the church, (b) behaviour of church members to one another, and (c) church worship. Going to consider the first two of these today.
It appears there had been some restlessness in the church
at Thessalonica, and Paul has learnt of it through the report by Timothy. Had
the leaders been too heavy handed in rebuking those who had given up work
because of the second coming? Or were there people who were rebellious and
resented whatever the leaders said? So Paul deals with the leaders and the
attitude there should be towards them.
Always been extremes of
understanding about leadership. Clericalism and anti-clericalism. Clericalism is
where clergy keep the reins of power and monopolize all pastoral leadership and
ministry. They expect to be treated with unquestioned deference. They give no
opportunity for others to exercise their gifts – they are expected to “pay
up, pray up, and shut up”. At the other extreme is the view that leaders are
an optional extra. If there are leaders in place, they are there to do as they
are told, and are got rid of if they upset the people. “Lord, you keep him
humble, and we’ll keep him poor”. The gifts, training and study of leaders
are not regarded as necessary.
There is a need for a balance.
The Bible teaches the priesthood of all believers. All have gifts to contribute.
Yet there is also the gift of leadership, with attendant abilities. Not all are
to be pastors and teachers and leaders and administrators. Paul urges the
members, Respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord
and who admonish you (1 Thessalonians 5:12). Respect them – know their
worth, appreciate them, value them. Who is Paul referring to? The reference is
mainly but not exclusively to the elders of the church. The New Testament had
plurality of elders, Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each
church (Acts 14:23). But this reference is not exclusively to elders,
because others also work and have leadership roles in the church.
Three marks of their service:
Firstly they work hard, work to the point of exhaustion, and work till they
drop. The Greek word used is the same word Paul uses about farm labourers (2
Timothy 2:6), his own work as a tent maker (1 Thessalonians 2:9), the Christian
service of himself (1 Corinthians 15:10), and others (Romans 16:12), and
especially those who labour in preaching and teaching (1 Timothy 5:17).
There is a lot of hard work
involved in leadership. The elder who is also the pastor will spend hours in his
study every week in preparation, applying the word, visitation, warning,
admonishing, comforting the disturbed and disturbing the comfortable, being
faithful in intercession. This work is draining physically, mentally and
emotionally. Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I
do not inwardly burn? (2 Corinthians 11:29).
Secondly, they are over you
in the Lord. Leaders are, in a sense, “under” us because they are our
servants, as the Lord was a servant. But though he is in the service of all, he
only has one Master. Yet they are “over” us in the sense that they preside,
rule, direct, give oversight, i.e. in authority as well as in service.
Thirdly, their role is to
admonish you. It is their place to warn, reprove, and teach, though obviously
they must do this gently and humbly. If someone is caught in a sin, you who
are spiritual should restore him gently (Galatians 6:1). Those in leadership
keep watch over us as men who must give account. Therefore they are to be obeyed
and submitted to. Obey your leaders and submit to their authority (Hebrews
13:17).
Some in leadership fail here
because they do not want to be unpopular or because they might offend and lose
numbers. But this is not being faithful to the Lord. The early church was very
careful to maintain Christian standards in an ungodly world, especially for the
sake of the good name of the Lord and of His church. If we are admonished, we
should be grateful that we are so loved and cared for by a faithful man who is
concerned for us and anxious to keep us from shipwreck. He does not admonish
because it gives him pleasure, but because he loves us.
Our leaders are no better than
anyone else, and are only sinners saved by grace, yet they are men of God,
called and gifted by Him. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of
their work (1 Thessalonians 5:13). Their work has its place in God’s
purpose, and is important in the life of the church. They bear enormous
responsibility. We who teach will be judged more strictly (James 3:1).
They may make mistakes, may wish they could have their time again because of
some hasty word, tactlessness, impatience, broken promise, failures. They may
have felt ashamed to enter into the pulpit again. Few in the congregation know
the demands of their work. They are not to be put on a pedestal or idolised, or
made Pope or prince, or worshipped. But they should be respected, appreciated
and shown affection. We must do all we can to forward, and not hinder, their
work.
Live in peace with each
other. If we do that, we shall lighten the load of our leaders. If the hours
spent by leaders patching up quarrels, persuading people to work in harmony,
dealing with trouble arising from jealousy and envy, were spent in evangelism,
the church of God could move forward in a way it does not now. A quarrelsome
squabbling church is a heartbreak and drag on the leaders, and so damaging
before the world.
Happy is the church in which the leaders and members recognise that God calls different believers to different ministries, and all exercise their ministry with diligence and humility, and give others the love and respect which their labour, given by God, requires. Hence they live in peace.
Pastoral care is not just the responsibility
of leaders. We have to care for one another too. We urge you, brothers, warn
those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone
(1 Thessalonians 5:14). The Greek word for “idle” is a military
metaphor, those out of step, those not keeping ranks. Perhaps this was a
reference to those giving up work because of the second coming, who then sponged
off others for food and support. They were to be rebuked. The faint-hearted and
timid are to be comforted and encouraged. That includes those worrying about the
departure of their loved ones, and those who were always fearful, lacking
courage, and easily depressed.
Helping the weak, by holding
onto them, being close to them, put an arm around them. Do not let them drift
and disappear. They are often on the edges of the fellowship, and lack teaching
or steady character. They can easily slip away, and no one notices till it is
too late. N.B. The tense for all these verbs – present imperative – a
continuing ministry, i.e. “keep on warning. Keep on encouraging.. helping..”
How rarely it is recognised that
we need to minister to one another in spiritual things. We are to help, support
and encourage one another in the things of God. Too often we find it easier to
talk about everything under the sun – except the very things that are the most
important. When we avoid spiritual discussions, it reflects our spiritual state.
Need to be patient with
everyone, especially when dealing with idle, faint-hearted and weak – we will
have many disappointments, hard lessons have to be learnt. We can expect to be
resisted, our motives questioned, told to mind our own business, people will be
slow to learn and understand. They may be difficult, disappointing, and even
rude. But need to remember how patient God was and is with us. We are wayward,
stubborn, and slow to learn.
Finally the warning - Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else (1Thessalonians 5:15). This echoes of the Sermon on the Mount, where the Lord warns us not to avenge ourselves on personal level, or retaliate (Not dealing with justice and law courts, nor pacifism). We must never hit back in our dealings with leaders, fellow Christians, outsiders or even our persecutors. We may not be likely to hit back physically, but we can verbally, via the stinging retort, sarcastic reply and fierce denunciation and crushing condemnation. Leave the situation to God. He will vindicate you and put the matter right in His time.
Respect and encourage and support our leaders. They have such responsibility and onerous tasks. Make their task as easy as possible. Remember responsibilities to one another in the church, to warn, comfort and hold onto one another. And don’t hit back and score points. Commit your self, cause and reputation into the hands of God.
