Concluding Exhortations and Commandments (2)

Bibles to 1 Thessalonians 5, as we are coming toward the end of this study.

We began last Lord's Day to address the concluding section of this epistle which contains

Paul's exhortations and commandments to the church at Thessalonica.

They are set forth one after another for us, in fact in verses 12 through the end of the epistle we have 18 exhortations and commandments.

We addressed the first six of these last week, which brings us through verse 14, so we'll pick up with verse 15 today,

I believe. Let me read the passage for us once again, however, 1 Thessalonians 5, 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 idle, 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 a 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.

And thus ends the epistle. The first eight exhortations and commands address relationships between people.

And last Lord's Day we considered the first six in this list of 18. I'll not read through those again, we just read them in the passage.

Paul urges patience toward all at this point, for in all of our helping, all of our encouraging, all of our admonishing, we don't always see positive results in people's lives, do we?

We have to be patient toward everybody. Sometimes our expectations are too high, in fact frequently our expectations are too high.

And we are to surrender those expectations to the Lord, let him deal with people in his own way, in his own time, and we attempt to be servants of the

Lord in helping people. But we need to be patient. Sanctification is a work that doesn't happen immediately as some teach, as though you can get all of a sudden blessed by the

Holy Spirit, you rise to a new plane of holiness. Sanctification, that's Wesleyan teaching about sanctification, that's not biblical.

Although sometimes God does give a, does a great work of grace and delivers someone from sin, and it's a wonderful deliverance, the idea that somehow there's a shortcut to sanctification is not biblical.

It takes time, most of the time it's gradual, and all the time it's difficult, and we need to be patient.

We need to be patient with them all when we're working with them all in one way or another.

Now let's go on to the next command, and actually there are two in one sentence. See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone.

And so you see the two different words of instruction there separated by a comma. The first half of this sentence does not precisely say you're not, you are not to repay evil for evil.

It really doesn't say that, although it certainly implied. But actually it's instruction for us that we make every effort to prevent others from repaying anyone evil for evil.

You see that? Seek to it that no one repays evil for evil.

Of course it's not as though we're going to be able to prevent this from occurring, but in as much as we are able, we are to see that no one repays anyone evil for evil.

As William Hendrickson wrote, not only is it the duty of the entire membership, that's the church membership, to exercise this virtue, patience or long -suffering, but the brotherhood must also see to it that each individual member cultivates it and manifests this grace toward everyone.

If in our church body we see somebody rendering evil for evil, we should do what we can as the

Lord enables us to help them stop that. Seek to it that nobody renders evil for evil.

Let's attempt to understand what's included in this command by first asking what is meant by the word evil.

For there are a number four or five different Greek words that are translated in the

New Testament as evil. The word Paul used here is the most commonly used

Greek word for evil. It's an adjective which describes anything that is evil in character, in influence, or effect.

The Greek word kakos, which is evil. It's the opposite of what is good.

There's good and there is evil. The word evil can describe either persons or things. There are evil persons, evil qualities, evil emotions, evil works.

They can describe what is injurious, destructive, or grievous. Christians are not to be characterized by evil.

Peter wrote, finally all of you have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherhood, love, a tender heart, a humble mind.

Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless.

That's how you're to respond when someone does you evil. You bless them. For to this you are called that you may obtain a blessing.

One goes with the other. When you pronounce a blessing, even upon the ones that are evil, do evil towards you, you are setting yourself to receive a blessing from the

Lord, of course. Paul gave the same command in Romans that he wrote here in 1st

Thessalonians. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. Romans 12 17.

And James wrote of how conflicting it is for a Christian to speak evil of others.

No human being contain the tongue, James wrote. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God.

From the same mouth comes blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening, both fresh and salt water?

Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.

We are not to give undue attention or have interest in evil things. Romans 16 19 records,

I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil. Paul writes that evil is not present where true love is present.

Love does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil.

It assumes the best of people, gives them the benefit of the doubt. Evil is characteristic of unbelievers.

Now we're getting down to it. Those who order their lives contrary to the will of God.

John wrote in his third epistle, Beloved, do not imitate evil, but imitate good. Why? Whoever does good is from God.

Whoever does evil has not seen God. If your life is characterized by evil, you're not a

Christian, is what John is writing. And of course the wrath of God will one day come upon those whose lives are characterized by evil.

We read in Romans 2, but in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart, you're treasuring up for yourself wrath and the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God who will render to each one according to his deeds.

We believe the Bible teaches that there will be a general judgment of all mankind. We'll all be judged according to our works.

The works of Christians will commend them to the Lord, not that they're meritorious, but they will give evidence, they will give proof that we're

Christians, that we believe in the Lord as we're justified by faith or through faith alone.

But our works will demonstrate that we're true believers, or else our works will demonstrate that we weren't true believers, that we were but hypocrites.

In verse 7 of Romans 2 it speaks of the outcome of that judgment. Eternal life to those who by patient, continuous, and doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality.

That describes the life of a Christian. And the Lord grants eternal life.

It's a gift, it's not earned by these things, but these are Christians. They seek to do good, they seek for glory, the glory of the

Lord, and they anticipate their own glory that God has promised. They seek honor before the Lord, immortality, life to come.

In contrast to them, those who are self -seeking do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation, and wrath.

And then to accentuate his words, he says, tribulation and anguish on every soul of man, there it is, who does evil.

So evil actions, evil words characterize unbelievers, and they'll be found out on the day of judgment.

In contrast, glory, honor, and peace on everyone who works what is good. There's the opposite of evil, to the

Jew first, and also to the Greek, for there's no partiality with God. Nobody's going to be given a pass on the day of judgment.

You're going to be judged according to your works. Again, not because your works are meritorious, and the only reason you and I can have any kind of good works whatsoever is because of the grace of God working within us, obviously.

Much of the evil which people commit are in their words. They might not act out some evil action, but they're with their words.

But again, the words will either exonerate you or condemn you on the day of judgment. The Lord said, a good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.

But I say to you that every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.

That's perhaps one of the scariest verses in the Bible, in my mind. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.

Now wait, I thought we're justified through faith alone. Yes, here the idea of justified means vindicated.

By your words you'll be vindicated on the day of judgment. Yes, you're a Christian, and your speech betrays it.

Or no, you're not a Christian, you're a hypocrite, your speech betrays it. You can tell the difference between a

Christian and a non -Christian on the day of judgment by their speech. And so our speech should not be characterized by evil.

It's natural for people to render evil for evil. I put natural in italic. I'm just saying it's natural, because we're sinners.

And so it's natural in that it's in accordance with our sinful nature. What is natural to our sinful nature?

Evil. And people feel quite justified in rendering evil for evil.

If evil is done to them, they think it's quite natural. They would even say it's right to do the same in return.

You've done evil to me, I have license to do evil to you. We want payback.

It's the plot of many movies in which someone is treated terribly in the first portion of the film.

And depending on how violent and bloody the film is, you've got to really have an act of injustice at the beginning of the film, so that the viewers justify what the hero does as he wreaks vengeance throughout the movie upon those that did him wrong.

And he's a hero. We feel that this is just, because we're only turning back to people what they deserve.

This commandment prohibits taking vengeance upon another. The Holy Scriptures tell us that the

Lord alone has the authority to bring vengeance upon lawbreakers. We're commanded, repay no one evil for evil.

Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.

It's not always possible, but as much as it's possible. Beloved, here it is, do not avenge yourselves.

That would be rendering evil for evil. But rather, give place to wrath. In other words, you let the

Lord deal with it, in His own way, in His own time. For it's written, vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the

Lord. And therefore, if your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he's thirsty, give him a drink. For in doing so, you'll heap coals of fire on his head.

I think that talks about bringing him to a sense of conviction, just how wrong he is.

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. And that is to care, that's what characterizes

Christians, if they're thinking rightly, behaving rightly. Paul quotes from the

Old Testament, a reference to Deuteronomy 32 -41, if I wet my glittering sword, wet means sharpening my sword, this is

God speaking, and my hand takes hold on judgment, I will render vengeance to my enemies and repay those who hate me.

God's going to administer justice. Hebrews also quotes this verse,

Hebrews 1030, for we know him who said, vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord. Now someone might respond, but do not the

Scriptures say, an eye for an eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe?

Sure it does, but this is not a license for individuals to take vengeance. It sets a principle of justice, that the punishment should fit the crime.

This is a principle that civilization should maintain in its courts.

People that break the law should suffer the consequences in proportion to their transgression, but it is not a license to vengeance, and yet again in movies you'll see that all the time.

Eye for an eye, and therefore I'm going to get even. The Lord justifies that. No, the

Lord does not justify that. In fact, the Lord addressed it in the Sermon on the Mount. You've heard it said it was of old, an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.

He's not quoting Scripture here, he's quoting an abuse of Scripture by the Pharisees, by the

Jewish leaders, and by the rabbis that justified vengeance. You've heard, hey, you can get even, but I tell you not to resist an evil person, but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.

That's talking about being insulted. You take it. If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, give him your cloak also.

Whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him too. Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you, do not turn away.

You've heard that it was said you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy, but I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you.

Do you know anybody come to mind? That person hates me. Well, here you have clear instruction on what you're to do.

Do good to those who hate you. Pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.

Are you praying for that person? So that, here's a purpose clause, so that you may be the sons of your father in heaven.

For he makes his son rise on the evil and on the good. He sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others?

Do not even the tax collectors do so? Therefore you should be perfect just as your father in heaven is perfect.

And yet it's the way of the fallen world for people to want to have vengeance on those that harm them. But though this is the way of the fallen world, it's not the way of the

Lord. As we see in the second clause of the sentence before us, which again reads, see that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone.

Now in the first clause we pointed out, it's really not instruction for you not to repay evil for evil, but don't let anybody else do so.

You're to see to it that nobody does stay within the church. But the second clause is directly to you, right?

Seek to do good to one another and to everyone. And so here the instruction is written directly to us by the

Holy Spirit, of course. We're to see to it that others do not repay evil for evil, but we ourselves are to seek to do good to one another.

That is, to the brethren in the church, but also to everyone, those who are outside the church.

We're to be as our Lord Jesus, who went about doing good. And that's what we ought to be doing, going about in this world doing good.

In contrast, to repay evil for evil, the Christian to be as the Lord. As Paul wrote in Romans 12 21, do not overcome, do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

We have to resist this. It's easily done to be overcome by evil. That's the natural reaction of a sinful soul.

It takes grace to overcome evil with good. If we always seek to do good to one another and everyone, it must be that we desire good for others, both in the church and outside the church.

We desire their good. That's why we do good to them. Christians are to be like their

Heavenly Father. God has a general benevolence for all mankind. Now, I'm not saying that God loves everyone the same, but that's not the teaching of Scripture.

You hear it all the time. I heard it on the radio the other day. I had to go over and turn it off. It just irritates me to no end. God is benevolent to everyone, because God is a good, kind, loving

God. But that doesn't mean He has warm, fuzzy feelings for everybody. You know, the only ones that He truly has covenant love for are those that are in Jesus Christ.

We're accepted in the Beloved One. He loves Jesus, so He loves us, because we're in Christ. But He is loving to all because of His nature.

God has a covenant love for His people that He only has for them and for no others. Nevertheless, God is kind and good to all

His creatures, because that's His nature. He's a good God, a kind God, who does good to His creatures, and we're to be like Him.

We're to treat others kindly, because we're to be as our Heavenly Father. He treats people kindly. Our Lord Jesus taught us, but I say, do you love your enemies?

Bless those who curse you. Do good to those who hate you. Pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your

Father in heaven, for He makes the sun to rise on the just and the unjust. He sends rain on the just and the unjust, the evil and the good.

Again, for if you love, if you love those who love you, only love those who love you, what reward have you?

None. Do not even tax collectors do the same. If you greet only your brethren, what do you do more than others?

What distinguishes you as a Christian, if you only do that? Unbelievers do that. The Lord tells us through the hand of Paul that we

Christians should be clothed or characterized as ones with compassionate hearts. Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness.

That's what should characterize us. We desire the good of people, even those that are farthest away from Christ.

We desire mercy for them. We desire that they would become

Christians, become saved. We're to put on tender mercies.

We're to have deep feeling of concern and desire for the well -being of others, not just Christians. So it's not only to be toward those who have the same kind of regard for us, but this should be our general regard for all others, regardless of how they regard us or treat us.

That's immaterial. We're to have a general benevolence for all people everywhere, desiring their well -being before God.

Did not our Lord teach us this in his parable of the Good Samaritan? He told of the

Samaritan who was despised by the Jews. Nevertheless, when he saw the man who fell among thieves, who had stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, departed, leaving him half dead, the

Lord said this Samaritan had compassion when he saw him. And we ought to have compassion on people when we see them ravaged by sin and troubled in the world.

We're to put on compassion. We're to have hearts of compassion for others. We're also to put on kindness.

We shouldn't just feel for people, but we should act.

We might say this quality flows from what went before. We should not only have compassionate hearts, but it ought to move us to show kindness to people.

Characterize a good Samaritan. Our Lord said of him, he set him, that is the one who was beat up, abused, robbed, on his own animal, brought him to an inn, took care of him.

On the next day when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, take care of him.

Whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you. We're to do good to people as the

Lord enables us. The good Samaritan was good because he had mercy on this afflicted one.

He showed him kindness. He had a heart of compassion toward him. And this is what should characterize us.

John wrote, whoever has this world's goods and sees his brother in need and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?

My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and truth.

It ought to be seen in our actions. And so if a man says he has put on a compassionate heart, but he's devoid of kindness, his claim is a sham.

Now through verse 15, we just dealt with how Christians should relate with one another. But beginning with verse 16, we read of the inner life of the

Christian, of what should characterize his inner attitude and how it expresses itself.

And so we read three briefly worded, very terse commands. First, rejoice always.

Second, pray without ceasing. Third, give thanks in all circumstances. We won't get to the third, but we might get to the two.

Let's consider first the words rejoice always. We are to rejoice always in the

Lord. Believers in Jesus Christ are to be a people known for their joy in the Lord. We shouldn't be a morose people, should we?

Many sorrows shall be to the wicked, but he who trusts in the Lord, mercy shall surround him. Be glad in the

Lord and rejoice, you righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart. Would to God that they characterize all of us all the time.

New life in Christ should be characterized by joy. In your presence is fullness of joy.

At your right hand are pleasures for evermore. And God has promised that those who come to salvation will encounter this joy, even greater joy.

You shall go out with joy and be led out with peace. Some of us who might tend to be the most miserable people, day after day, are one day going to be shouting for joy because of the pleasures that God bestows so wonderfully and freely upon us.

This should characterize us now as Christians within our lives, within this world. Our Lord Jesus told his disciples that their own salvation was to be the basis of their joy.

On one occasion, when their rejoicing was based upon demons being subject to them, they were thrilled about that.

Through Jesus' name, Jesus told them, don't rejoice in this. Don't rejoice that miracles are taking place through your efforts, through your ministry, but rather express joy because you're recipients of God's salvation.

He said, behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions over all the power of the enemy.

Nothing shall by any means hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.

That's the basis of joy, knowing you have salvation. Later on, on another occasion, the night our

Lord Jesus was betrayed, he spoke to his disciples of the temporary sorrow they would encounter when he was arrested and he was in the grave.

He wrote to them, upon their resurrection, however, they would be characterized by joy. John 16.

Most assuredly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice, and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy.

Now, this joy should characterize us, because we're on this side of the resurrection, you see. They were going to be characterized by sorrow, because, you know, they didn't fully understand what was happening.

Their Savior was crucified. He was buried. Their hope was gone. They didn't believe and respond to what the

Lord had previously taught them. So you will have sorrow, but you will see me again, and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.

Is anybody taking your joy from you? You're probably not looking to the Lord rightly, are you?

The fact is, we should be rejoicing people. When people see us, and when they remember us, reflect upon us, we should so live before them they perceive that we are a joy -filled people.

We should always be rejoicing. Now, when we speak of joy, we're not speaking of that which might be generally characteristic of a cheerful and optimistic personality.

You know, there are non -Christians that are that way, aren't there? I wish there were more of them, but there are those that are that way by nature.

We're speaking of a deep, settled, and abiding joy that belongs to true Christians. His natural personality might be more melancholic than others.

Nevertheless, he may be filled and characterized by joy that, say, a sanguine personality never knows.

We're not speaking of one who is a bubbly and happy person by nature, but rather the joy we're speaking about is a deep, settled sense of well -being, satisfaction, confidence, and delight in knowing

God, and knowing that he is in a right relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

This person will have a calm spirit under trial. He will have a sense of well -being and confidence when, humanly speaking, all seems to be hopeless.

He'll have a measure of stability and confidence when others seem to be losing control. He's not self -confident, but rather he's confident in his

God and in his relationship with God through Christ. He delights in this, and it settles his soul.

He is at peace with God, and his soul is at peace. And I should characterize every one of us as Christians, if we're thinking rightly, believing rightly.

Life is filled with difficulties and trials. They'll tend to get you down if you fail to exercise this duty.

Rejoice in the Lord always. That's a command, isn't it? Rejoice in the Lord always.

Again, I say rejoice. Philippians 4 .4. But again, Paul wasn't just advocating that Christians should be happy in Jesus.

When he says rejoice in the Lord, he's telling them to place all their trust, all their hope, all of their assurance upon Christ and him alone.

And this will result in a sense of well -being, true rejoicing in one's soul. If you fail to fix in your mind, fix your mind on the

Lord and rejoice in him and all that is promised in him supremely, then you'll probably end up rejoicing in something of this world.

And that's fleeting, isn't it? Temporary, unsound. If you focus on Christ, you may have realized the promise that our

Lord gave respecting his disciples, a true joy that characterizes you.

If you fail to fix your mind on the Lord and rejoice in him and all that's promised in him supremely, you'll probably end up, again, rejoicing in something of the world, something that is temporary, uncertain, and fleeting.

If you focus on Christ, you may realize the promise our Lord gave. These things I've spoken unto you that my joy might remain in you and that your joy might be full.

May the Lord give us a sense of that, every one of us. There will come stability and confidence with this joy.

Last evening, yesterday, I was looking at one of the volumes of Thomas Manton. I bought all the volumes some years ago.

I think there's 24 volumes in his works. He was a Puritan pastor.

He was a clerk at the Westminster Assembly when they drafted the Westminster Catechism, Westminster Confession.

Spurgeon called Manton and his works a mighty mountain of sound theology. He was a favorite of J .C.

Ryle, who lived in the 19th century, as did Spurgeon. Spurgeon said of Manton, he's not brilliant, but he's always clever.

He's not oratorical, but he's powerful. He's not striking, but he's deep. Well, Manton gave a sermon on 1

Thessalonians 5 .16. I read through it. And in verse 17, which reads,

Rejoice evermore, he wrote these words. Rejoice evermore. And he delineates, you know, what this means.

The words are brief and short and therefore may be easily carried away. In other words, lost or skipped over.

They are independent on the context and therefore will need no long deduction. He didn't have to explain them within the context because there is no context.

It's just kind of inserted in there. They pressure not to a painful but pleasant duty.

This isn't a command to do something that's going to grieve you. Rejoice always. And therefore you should be readily induced to practice it.

But yet when we look more intrinsically into the nature of it, it's not so easy as we first imagined. Everyone cannot receive this say.

It's a hard to keep the heart in such exact frame as to rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing, and everything give thanks.

He brought those three commands together as Christ saith in another case. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.

But what if we prove it to be a duty incumbent on all Christians and that at all times? The text seems to enforce it.

Rejoice evermore. And so Manton began to expound on the text, again just the two words, by setting forth a doctrine, a teaching, which is true to all people at all times in all places.

Here is his doctrine gleaned from these two words, that God's children should make conscience of rejoicing in God at all times and under all the conditions.

That's pretty simple, isn't it? But it's a truism. Rejoice evermore.

Rejoice always. And then he set forth these points. And I thought these were helpful.

What rejoicing the Apostle speaks of. There is a double rejoicing, a carnal rejoicing, and a spiritual rejoicing.

And basically he's saying it's not carnal rejoicing that we're supposed to focus on, but rather spiritual rejoicing.

What is meant by that? The carnal rejoicing is in this world, in the goods of this world apart from God.

Like the rich fool, sold out, has much goods, laid up for many years, take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.

See, he was rejoicing in carnal things, things of this world. That's not what we're being commanded to do. Rejoice always in the things of this world.

But rather, the spiritual rejoicing is in God. Philippians 3 .1. Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the

Lord. These two sorts of rejoicing must be carefully distinguished, for they differ in their causes.

To the one we're prompted by carnal nature, which taketh up with present things, and the other is excited in us by the

Spirit of God, and therefore often called joy in the Holy Ghost. The one is called the joy of sense, in other words, what you sense physically.

The other, the joy of faith. The joy of faith is in God, the joy of sense in the creature, which is the created thing.

The joy of faith is most in future things, the joy of sense in present things.

This is good, showing the difference, distinction. The joy of faith is in the good of the soul.

The joy of sense is in the good of the body, or the provisions of the flesh. The joy of faith is built on the covenant and promises of God.

Psalm 119 .11. Thy testimonies I've taken as inheritance forever. They are the rejoicing of my heart.

Testimonies of God as promises, commitments to his people. The joy of sense on the blessings that flow in the channel of common and general providence.

You know, you win the lottery tomorrow. You're rejoicing. Well, that's carnal.

That's not what we're being commanded to do. Now, the first sort of rejoicing the Apostle would not press us into.

Nature there needeth a bridle rather than a spur. In other words, we've got to pull back our selves from rejoicing in carnal things, earthly things, fleshly things.

We don't need a spur to do that. That comes natural. But to the latter, delight to God and all things that come from God and lead to him.

That's where we need the spur. In other words, to, you know, prod us into into that direction, to delight in spiritual things, to rejoice in spiritual things.

And then Mattin then begins to explain the doctrine under these headings. One, we're to always rejoice in God himself as God.

It's a lovely nature. God is a lovely nature and the object of our delight for he is good, even before and without apprehension of us doing good.

In other words, he's good not because he does good things to you and you experience and receive those good things. You rejoice in God because he is essentially good.

Psalm 11968, thou art good and do us good. See the difference there? You are good and you do good.

Yes, he does good, but let's not just rejoice in what he does for us. Let's rejoice in who he is. He's a good

God. Second, we're to delight and rejoice in God as he has discovered himself to us in Christ, as he's revealed himself to us in Jesus Christ.

We're to rejoice in that. Third, we rejoice in God as we rejoice in the fruits of our redemption or in all those spiritual blessings which are offered or given to us by Christ, such as reconciliation or God admitting of us the privileges of his holy covenant.

Do we rejoice in those things? Does that cause our hearts to be stirred? We rejoice in God when we delight to do his will and are fitted for his use and service.

To be set and kept in the way of heaven is a greater comfort to us than if we had all the world bestowed upon us.

Do we rejoice in that, in his grace that he has brought us to know him and he keeps us in that way?

And fifth, we also rejoice in God when we rejoice in the blessings of his providence as they come from God and lead to God.

And so they may be difficult things in life, but they lead us to the Lord to depend upon him and learn of him.

And then after describing what true rejoicing is in spiritual realities, he talks about how this must be constant and perpetual, rejoice evermore.

And so in all the states and conditions, this joy must not be infringed. God's children have or may have cause of rejoicing in God, whatever their outward condition be.

It doesn't matter what's going on in your life. You should be able to obey this command to rejoice evermore.

And then he delineates the state of worldly sorrow and affliction is reconcilable and agreeable enough or consistent with our rejoicing in the

Lord. In other words, even if you're going through great difficulty, you can rejoice in the Lord. And then he cited some verses how this is the case.

Paul described himself as sorrowful yet always rejoicing. You might think, how can

I be rejoicing with this stuff I'm going through? Paul says this is what I'm like, sorrowful yet I'm always rejoicing.

First Peter 1 .6, wherein we greatly rejoice. Now he's rejoicing, though now for a season if need be you are in heaviness through manifold temptations.

You can be filled with joy and you can rejoice even when great difficulty is being encountered.

Paul wrote, I am filled with comfort and exceeding joyful in all what?

Tribulations. In other words, it's not contingent on what's happening to you day by day.

We ought to be able to live above these things and in spite of these things because of our relationship with God in Christ.

And secondly, we must rejoice evermore because it's not a duty to be done now and then, for which doth not, which only belong to some eminent

Christians that are assured of God's love. But from our first acquaintance with Christ to the last period of our lives, it is of use to us.

Every Christian should rejoice evermore. Some act of joy, our first entrance into Christianity, they're a new

Christian, they're filled with joy and they rejoice. As to our progress in the duties and hopes of the gospel, it's still carried on with joy.

We ought to continue, continue to rejoice because God is bringing us along, leading us along. And then lastly, he concludes with the many reasons which show we should have a greater inclination to this blessed work than usually we have and be oftener in it first because God has done so much to raise it in us.

All the persons concur, all the persons of the Godhead concur and contribute their influence in that way of operation, as property each, to give us ground for joy.

And then he talks about the Father and then the Son and the Holy Spirit. All three persons of the

Trinity give of reason to rejoice. And then he talks about all the graces that God bestows upon us also tend toward our rejoicing always, faith, hope, and love.

And at the bottom of the page eight, all the ordinances and duties of religion were appointed to breed, feel, and act and increase this joy in us.

Reading the Scriptures, hearing, praying, meditating, the Lord's Supper, all these duties were appointed to quicken the soul, to delight in God, and they all must be used to this end.

We would say amen to that. We have a couple minutes.

Let's just address this last matter of pray without ceasing. It's a command, pray without ceasing.

Do you do that? I've met a number of people over the years that are confused about this.

Who can possibly do so? Pray without ceasing. Or they feel guilty.

How can I pray without ceasing when I've got my duties to do each and every day that take my mind off of the

Lord? And they look at this verse and they feel guilty. Pray without ceasing.

We need to understand what this says and what it's not saying in my opinion. In all circumstances we're to rejoice and in all circumstances we're to pray.

Pray without ceasing. The Apostle was not laying a burden upon the shoulders of his readers that was burdensome.

He was calling them to prayerful activity that would be their delight and their benefit. Pray without ceasing.

Matthew Henry wrote a few words about this. Note the way to rejoice evermore is to pray without ceasing.

See he links the two. We should rejoice more if we prayed more. We should keep upstated times for prayer and continue instant in prayer.

We should pray always and not faint. Pray without weariness. Continue in prayer till we come to that world where prayer should be swallowed up in praise.

The meaning is not that men should do nothing but pray but that nothing else we do should hinder prayer in its proper season.

Good statement. Prayer will help forward and not hinder all our other lawful business in every good work.

First we might understand what prayer is. Have you ever tried to set forth the definition of prayer?

Here's a good one. Prayer is the offering up of our desires to God in the name of Christ for such things that are agreeable with his will.

Good statement. Good definition of prayer. First understand prayer is the offering up of our desires and this is important.

Our words in prayer may or may not express our desires and therefore it's not really the words of our prayers.

It's the desires that stimulate the prayer, give content to the prayer.

Psalm 10 verse 17 Oh Lord you hear the desire of the afflicted.

God hears his prayer. Our Lord said when you pray do not use vain repetitions and see them do for they think that they will be heard by many words.

It's great and good desires expressed in fewer words are preferable than little desire addressed in a whole lot of words.

It's not the words, it's the desires. And second these desires are not simply expressed but they're expressed unto

God as a priest offering his sacrifices to God in the days of the Old Testament.

We're offering sacrifices to our God as priests because we're a holy priesthood.

And thirdly these desires to be expressed to God in the name of Jesus Christ always only due to the merit of the access we have to Jesus Christ.

And fourthly we of course are to have desires that we express to God that are in accordance with his holy will, must be in accordance with his holy word.

We'll close after we answer this question. What is it to pray without ceasing? Some have pressed this too far and others fall short of this command.

First there are those who neglect other duties for they felt that they always needed to be in private prayer. There have been heretical groups down through history that did nothing but went off on a hill in a monastery and prayed all their waking hours and they thought they were being true to pray without ceasing.

That's not what it's talking about. Paul was not intending to say

Christians should have to be continuously consciously praying. That's not possible. What Paul meant is that Christians should always be a praying people, pray without ceasing.

We need to be always praying about things. He expressed himself similarly in other places.

Romans 1 9, For God is my witness whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son that without ceasing

I make mention of you always in my prayers. Now Now think about that. Paul said to the church at Rome, "...I

have mentioned of you in my prayer..." Now Paul had a lot of issues and concerns. He had all the churches.

How could he, if prayer without ceasing means continuous prayer, uninterrupted prayer, how can he be always praying for the church of Rome?

What about all the other issues? You see what I'm saying? The idea of without ceasing, he's simply trying to convey to them,

I'm always praying for you. That's what's being conveyed. 1

Thessalonians 1 -2, he said, "...we give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, remembering without ceasing your work of faith."

Did Paul go out through his entire life, 24 hours a day of his waking days, and all he thought about was the work of faith on the part of the

Christians and the church at Thessalonica? No, I would say he thought about other things too. But again, what he was conveying, this idea of without ceasing, is that he was always thinking about them and remembering them, and whenever he thought of them and remembered them, he was grateful for their work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope.

1 Thessalonians 2 -13, "...for this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you receive the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God."

Now, it's not possible to interpret these things absolutely literally. For how could the Apostle pray without ceasing, in other words, continuously without interruption, on behalf of the

Church of Rome? Didn't he have responsibility to pray for other matters too? For people in other churches?

And of course he did. What Paul was saying to the Church of Rome is that he was always praying for them. And when it says, pray without ceasing, he's not saying that you have to have your mind on God for all your waking minutes of every day.

That is not possible. You need to give attention to your driving when you're in traffic.

Now, you can do so talking to the Lord, we do that. Non -Christians talk to themselves, and Christians talk to the

Lord. But all he's simply saying here, he's not talking about totally uninterrupted, continuous praying, or pray without ceasing.

He's just simply saying that we need to be a praying people. This should characterize us.

This is who we are. And so for you and I to pray without ceasing means simply that we're to be a praying people.

Prayer is an essential aspect of being a Christian, having a relationship with the Lord. Yes, we're to go through the day as though we're carrying on a conversation with our

God as we express our desires to Him. But to assume that you're not fulfilling this command because you have to give yourself to other duties and responsibilities of life is to press this command beyond what was intended.

Pray without ceasing. In other words, be a praying people. Pray to the

Lord throughout the week and throughout the day as you have the ability, as things come to mind, and as you're talking to the

Lord. But it's not talking about total, absolute concentration on praying to the

Lord. And I know some people have troubled themselves over this matter needlessly. May the

Lord help us in these matters. Father, we pray that you would help us to take these matters to heart and help us, our

God, to practice them faithfully. And Lord, even as we speak about these things, we know that each of us are convicted in various ways and various degrees because we do not do the things that you command us to do faithfully and fully.

We pray you, Father, forgive us of our sins through Jesus Christ. And may you enable us, our

God, to put into practice these commands. For we know it's for our good, and we know that you delight in these things.

And so we ask that you would help us, Father, through the Lord Jesus. Give us, again, the grace of the

Holy Spirit that we might do these things that are set before us. We pray in Jesus' name.