WWUTT 522 Always Seek to Do Good?

The Call to Respect Church Leaders and Seek Their Good

When it comes to taking care of someone's needs you care first for your family, right? And then you might use a little money to provide for somebody else. Well, that's the same way it should work in the body of Christ when we understand the text.

This is when we understand the text studying God's Word to reach all the riches of full assurance in Christ. Thank you for subscribing and if this is ministered to you, please let others know about our program.

Here once again is Pastor Gabe Hughes.

Thank you, Becky. We continue with our study of 1 Thessalonians chapter 5. I'm going to start again in verse 12, but this time read to the end of the chapter. As Paul writes to the Thessalonians,. 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.

So in these final instructions that Paul is giving to the Thessalonian church, the first instruction he gives here is that they need to respect their overseers, the elders of the church, who we commonly refer to as pastors, shepherding the flock of God.

Paul says, we ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you. Notice that that's in the plural, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work.

References that we have to eldership in the New Testament are often in the plural, because an eldership is supposed to be a plurality. The only time we have it mentioned in the singular is in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1, but that's when Paul is giving qualifications for a man who desires to fill that role of eldership.

Here's the qualifications that he is supposed to meet. So in that case, he's just talking about a single person, because you need to test that man according to these qualifications. But eldership, everywhere else it is mentioned, it's talked about in the plural.

Now, there will be times when an individual is singled out as kind of the head elder or maybe the senior teaching pastor. That might be the title that we use today. For example, the head of the church in Jerusalem was James.

So there was a plurality of elders. But James was kind of the one that was seen as the main teacher who would set the tone for the teaching for his entire church. That's what the senior pastor might do.

Or Timothy was being sent to Ephesus to be an elder there, and likely he was the one who was going to lead the teaching in the Ephesian church. So even though there is a plurality eldership, there may be that one person who is seen as the elder that is worthy of double honor, the way that Paul puts it with Timothy in 1 Timothy 5.

So he would be the one that has devoted his entire life to ministry and is being paid for it. Whereas most of the elders in a plurality eldership are probably lay elders. I just saw an article on the Gospel Coalition recently about this, the necessity for having lay elders in the plurality eldership.

When Mark Dever wrote his book, Nine Marks of a Healthy Church, one of the marks that he has in there is that a church should have plurality eldership. I am the pastor of my church. There is another pastor that is paid at our church, though he is not full time.

He's bivocational. And then there are two other elders that are lay elders. And these are dear brothers of mine. And it is a wonderful friendship and brotherhood that we share with one another. And I am just as accountable to them as they are to me.

And among us as elders, I hold no like Trump vote that would that would override any other vote that the elders would decide upon. And in all of the matters that we decide as elders, I think we're always unanimous.

I don't think there's ever a three to one or two to two. And how are we going to split this vote? I don't think that ever happens. We always seem to be of like mind when it comes to making decisions for the church.

But but I don't have any greater authority than they do. I am just as accountable to them as they are to me. And that's the way that an eldership should function. It's accountability for the pastor. I can't imagine what doing this work would be like without plurality eldership.

I did this for a couple of years, I suppose, but I don't remember what that was like. I am so accustomed now to having these brothers that are lifting me up and encouraging me and also admonishing me in our elders meeting yesterday.

I had to be admonished for something in particular and an attitude that I needed to check. And I appreciated that very much from these men. This is exactly the way that that the entire church is supposed to be.

So we, as mature men of God, need to be setting the example for the flock. And so Paul is encouraging the Thessalonians to have a high regard for their pastors, their elders in their church, esteem them very highly in love because of their work.

Paul said in First Timothy three that if anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. It is a noble work. So be respectful of the person that is in that role and and submit to him, submit to his authority.

That's an instruction that we get in Hebrews 13 in First Peter five. The eldership role, the pastor role is an authority position. He's not supposed to abuse that authority, but you should submit to and respect that authority.

Patient Care Within the Church

So here we go on in in verse 14. We urge you, brothers, admonish the idol, encourage the faint hearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. So the pastor has an obligation to oversee the care and the needs for his flock.

But there is also a responsibility among everybody in the church to look out for one another. And that's that instruction that we have there in verse 14, being patient with one another, especially. Remember what Paul said about love in First Corinthians 13 for love is patient.

And we're to be patient with one another because God is patient with us. This is a characteristic that God describes of himself in Exodus chapter 34. When God was passing before Moses, he declares himself as a God who is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

And so God, who describes himself as slow to anger, he is the picture of patience. And so as we desire or aspire to live like God, to be perfect as our heavenly father is perfect, which Jesus charged all believers to aspire toward in Matthew chapter five.

So we need to be patient as God is patient. Be patient with them all. Be at peace among yourselves was the way Paul put it at the end of verse 13. So going on here in verse 15, see that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone.

Not Repaying Evil for Evil

So the one another is the brothers and sisters in the body of Christ. Everyone would be everyone else do good to one another and also do good to everyone. So this charge not to repay anyone evil for evil.

We've seen this come up time and time again from the apostle Paul all throughout the scriptures. Jesus started it in Matthew chapter five in the Sermon on the Mount. You have heard that it was said an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.

By the way, there was an interview with Donald Trump. This was prior to him becoming president in which he was asked, what is his favorite verse in the Bible? That's the one he said. He said his favorite verse in the Bible was an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.

Tells you a little bit of something about his spirituality and his motivation. Right. So anyway, I'm in Matthew chapter five, verse 38. You have heard that it was said an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.

But I say to you, do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other. Also, if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.

And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you. You have heard that it was said you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.

But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. Why couldn't that one be the president's favorite verse? Pray for him. Pray that his heart would be convicted over these things.

Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you so that you may be sons of your father who is in heaven. For he makes his son rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? But do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others do? Do not even the Gentiles act like this?

You therefore must be perfect as your heavenly father is perfect. There's that verse. Matthew 5, 48 referenced it a moment ago. So this is the teaching of Christ not to retaliate against evil, not to hate your enemy, but to love your enemy.

And pray for those who persecute you so that you may be sons of your father. This is exactly what Jesus did when he was reviled. He did not revile in return, but he entrusted himself to the one who judges justly.

That's the way Peter put it. And so likewise, we are not supposed to revile against those who revile us. Don't respond to those in the same way who might respond to you in bitterness and anger. Don't retaliate that same way.

The apostle Paul talked about this with those who were in the church in Rome. Romans 12, verse 14. Bless those who persecute you. Bless and do not curse them. Verse 17. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all.

What does this look like to other people? Are they going to see you retaliating against somebody else and think, well, that guy was justified. I mean, that's exactly the way that I would have responded.

Is that how they're going to respond? Are they going to see you as being the just person in your retaliation? Are they going to see you as being just as liable as the other guy who offended you? Do what is honorable in the sight of all.

If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God. For it is written, vengeance is mine. I will repay, says the Lord.

To the contrary, if your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him something to drink. For by so doing, you will heap burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

So even within the body of Christ, if somebody wrongs us, we are not to retaliate that same way. See that no one repays anyone evil for evil. But if someone in the church offends you, there is a manner in which those things are supposed to be dealt with.

And you have the instructions for confronting a brother given to us in Matthew 18, 15 -20. Paul talks about this also in Titus 3. And Paul is also going to talk with the Thessalonians about this further in 2 Thessalonians.

So we'll get to that in the next letter. So that's the first part of that verse. The next part is seek to do good to one another and to everyone. So as I mentioned, that's referencing the household of faith, the body of Christ, one another.

And then also those who are outside the church. That would be the everyone. Galatians 6 .10, Paul says this. So then as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone. And especially to those who are of the household of faith.

So we have an obligation first to care for our own brothers and sisters in Christ in the body. And in fact, in the New Testament, where you see instructions to love the brotherhood or love sisters, that would be in reference to the church specifically.

Love your neighbor. That's a command that has to do with loving everyone. But love your brother, that you would love one another. These are instructions that pertain to love and charity and looking out for one another, admonishing, encouraging within the context of the body of Christ.

And so we have that distinguishing direction given here in first Thessalonians 5. I lost the verse again, 15. See, see that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone.

You know, in Matthew 25, when Jesus says that which you do to the least of these brothers of mine, you do also unto me. He's not talking about the poor and the marginalized and so on and so forth. He's talking specifically about those who are his brothers, who have been adopted into the family of God through Christ, who is our elder brother.

So what he's talking about there in Matthew 25 is the context of the church. That which you do to these brothers of mine in the church, you do also unto me. So by loving the poor, by loving any and all poor, that's not doing unto our Savior.

It's specifically loving those in the body of Christ. Now, we should show charity to everyone. Paul says it here to the Thessalonians. We just read that verse in Galatians. But we got to be careful about how we consider the context of charges to love.

Our first obligation, and we need to understand this. This is essential. This is necessary for the body of Christ to recognize. Our first obligation is to the church, caring for one another in the body of Christ.

Those that we go to church with, by the way, that is the command of Christ. You have to go to church. Those that we are growing with and maturing with, these are our brothers and sisters to whom we are first obligated before it comes to providing charity to the rest of the world.

But the church is under no obligation to change the culture. It is not a requirement for the church to have to open a food pantry or have clothing distribution for those that are poor. That is not the job of the church.

It is God who changes hearts. The church does not have that responsibility to change the world. The only thing that the church owes the culture is the gospel of Jesus Christ. Consider the great commission that Jesus gave to his disciples in Matthew chapter 28.

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. That is the commission, to go and preach the gospel.

Paul gives the definition of the church in 1 Timothy chapter 3 as being a pillar and buttress of the truth. So the job of the church is to hold up the gospel and defend it from those who try to malign it.

This is what the church is supposed to do. That is what the church owes the culture, the gospel of Jesus Christ. And as Christians live out the gospel in every area of their lives, they will do amazing, kind, loving deeds for their fellow man who have been created in the image of God.

But using that as an avenue to share the gospel. What the church is supposed to give to the world is the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is the instrument that Christ has chosen to preach his gospel. And so we must.

When it comes to caring for the needs of others, our first obligation, though, is the members of the body of Christ. And that is something that Jesus did tell his disciples to do. You will show me that you love me when you obey my commands.

And a new command I give you that you love one another. And that specifically was in the context of the love that we show for each other in the body of Christ. That is our first care. The first needs that we should be meeting are those within the church.

So, again, we have this instruction here to seek to do good to one another. Seek to do good. Find ways of showing kindness to each other. Not just when somebody comes along and asks you for something.

Maybe you can even find a need in the church that you think you can meet before anyone has even asked you. Seek to do good to one another. And it doesn't even necessarily have to be something material.

It can be just lifting somebody up in prayer. Going to somebody and say, hey, I would like to pray with you. Or somebody you know who is sick. Going over to their house. Sitting with them and talking with them for a while.

Seeking to do good. To showing that love that we are supposed to display with one another. I love the old hymn that says they will know that we are Christians by our love. By the way, we love one another in the body of Christ.

The world will recognize that there's something different about this group that is just not like anyone else. And the charity and things like that that we show to the culture, likewise, are going to speak a message of love.

And we're seeing that happen right now in the charity relief efforts that are being done in the wake of these hurricanes that have devastated southeast Texas and Florida. Most of the first responders, most of the people that are out there doing charity and good work are churches.

Most of them are. But in any kind of work that we do, any kind of mercy mission that the church would be on to show that kind of love and kindness even within the culture. We should still have the gospel ever ready and ever present on our lips as we go doing these works of service.

Because we can make a person's life comfortable for a little while. But unless their soul has heard the gospel to be convicted and turn from their sin and worship Jesus Christ, then we've only given them a comfortable seat on their way to hell.

But we've actually not done anything to save their lives. The gospel is the power of God for salvation to all who believe. That is what the church is supposed to be doing for the world. Preaching the gospel.

Do good to one another and also to everyone. Rejoice always, Paul says. Verse 16. Also what he says in Philippians 4 .4. Rejoice always. I will say it again. Rejoice. And that's where we'll stop for today.

Tomorrow we'll get to this next instruction here and we'll talk about how hard this one is. Pray without ceasing. Let's do a little bit of prayer right now. Our Lord God, we thank you for the salvation that we have received in Jesus Christ.

You did not leave us in darkness but delivered us into your kingdom of light. And I pray that we would be that light to the world. A shining city on a hill. A light that cannot be hidden under a bushel.

But we let our light shine before men so that those who see it may give glory to our God and Father in heaven through Jesus Christ our Lord. By his sacrifice on the cross, our sins have been forgiven.

By his resurrection from the grave, we have been given his life. By his ascension to the Father and being seated right there at the right hand of God, we know that our Lord is interceding for us. That he is our advocate before the Father.

So what can man do to me if we have an advocate in Jesus Christ? Let our trust be there. Our hope. Our desire. All things be in Christ Jesus our Lord. And help us to take this message to the world. Know the words that we have to speak when it comes to helping the world understand the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Let it be ever present on our lips. And give us the desire to want to show love and kindness to our brothers and sisters in the faith and also to everyone. And we pray these things in Jesus name. Amen.

Prayer, Gospel Witness, and Closing Announcements

You've been listening to When We Understand the Text with Pastor Gabe Hughes. We hope you are a part of a church family committed to gospel teaching. And we thank you for including us in your Bible learning.

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